Lexus RZ 450e electric crossover stars in upcoming 'Black Panther' sequel

Fans of Marvel Studios’ “Black Panther” may remember a swoopy co-star in the 2018 blockbuster film.

This is, of course, the dark-blue Lexus LC 500 luxury coupe that the Black Panther superhero clung on to in an epic car chase until the car met a sudden and untimely end.

Lexus Philippines said in a November 2022 press statement that the Japanese luxury brand will once again be featured in the highly anticipated sequel “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.”

One of the vehicles that will be in the film, which premieres worldwide on Nov. 9, 2022, is the Lexus RZ 450e battery-electric sport-utility vehicle.

“The power, elegance, and future-forward vision of the Lexus brand aligns perfectly with the Black Panther franchise,” said Mindy Hamilton, senior vice president of global partnership marketing at The Walt Disney Company, which is the film’s distributor.

“We couldn’t be happier to team-up with Lexus once again to bring an action-packed story and supporting 360 campaign to life,” she added.

Meanwhile, Lexus International general manager for strategic communication Michael Moore (not the documentary filmmaker of the same name) said the brand is “excited and honored” to be part of the “Black Panther” franchise again.

“Our all-electric RZ 450e is a perfect fit in the Dora Milaje’s cutting-edge arsenal, bringing an elevated driving experience that intuitively connects with its users through advanced technology and compelling performance,” he said.

Electrifying car chase

Ahead of the movie’s launch, the crossover was featured in a series of promotional ads.

In the videos, the RZ 450e is the ride of choice of General Okoye, who is played by American-Zimbabwean actress and playwright Danai Gurira.

Okoye is the head of the Dora Milaje, an all-female special forces group that served as the bodyguards of the Black Panther, who was also the king of Wakanda. 

Her trip to deliver a speech takes an interesting turn when bad guys in a tricked-out Toyota 4Runner force her to make a detour.

First-ever Lexus EV

The RZ 450e is the first fully electric vehicle (EV) that Lexus has ever produced.

It uses the same e-Toyota New Global Architecture platform used in the Toyota bZ4 and Subaru Solterra EV crossovers, along with the upcoming Toyota bZ3 EV sedan that was co-produced with Chinese carmaker BYD.

The RZ 450e was previewed on March 2021 as the Lexus LF-Z Electrified concept car, with the final production version debuting on April 2022. Sales are slated to begin in early 2023.

The luxury crossover uses a 71.4-kWh battery pack that powers electric motors on the front and rear axles, making the RZ 450e all-wheel drive.

The company’s DIRECT4 system can distribute 100 percent of the power to either the front or rear wheels depending on road conditions.

The motors produce a combined output of 313 PS and 435 Nm of torque, which Lexus claims is good for 0 to 96 km/h in 5.2 seconds. The carmaker also expects a maximum range of up to 354 kilometers on a single full charge.

The RX 450e also has an interesting steering yoke that was featured in the ads. This is because the EV uses a steer-by-wire system, whereby instead of a traditional steering rack, the yoke controls motors in the front axle.

Lexus claims this allows for much smaller steering inputs, especially when executing tight, low-speed maneuvers.

Do you think the Lexus RZ 450e will be another great co-star in the “Black Panther” franchise?