Lexus EV crossover will be here soon

PLUS: Lotus plans Esprit-style EV, Polestar takes its sedan drifting, and battery swap stations gain momentum.

If you have trouble reading this message, view it in a browser.     Lotus shows a sketch of one future EV, Jaguar plans to build its own EV platform, and Polestar goes drifting around a frozen lake. But first: Lexus Gives a Better Look at Its Electric RZ 450e    This week Lexus revealed the entire exterior design of its upcoming RZ 450e crossover, due to arrive on sale later this year. The model was first glimpsed just a little over a month ago, when Toyota revealed an extended cast of battery electric concepts, with the RZ 450e being one of the few near-production designs unveiled.    The battery-electric model, which will be revealed in full later this spring, will share the e-TNGA platform with the Toyota bZ4X and the Subaru Solterra, but is expected to offer quite a bit more power as well as a dual-motor layout as a standard item.    Viewed from the side, it shares a general profile with the bZ4X, but not to the degree where it's extremely obvious. So the bZ4X/Solterra/450e trio won't be quite as transparently badge-engineered as, say, the Jimmy/Blazer/Bravada trio of the 1990s.   The RZ 450e will be Lexus' first electric crossover to make it stateside, but the company has already offered one other EV model elsewhere.    The interior of the Lexus model is still a bit of a mystery, but taking a look at the cabin of its Toyota sibling is helpful when it comes to the general layout. It's clear that Lexus will have to offer an interior that will appeal to repeat buyers of the marque, including those who could be switching to an EV from the RX model.    If there is one thing neither the Lexus nor the Toyota model may offer in abundance, judging by their profiles, it's cargo space out back, with both adopting a rakish rear hatch.    Read on and find out just how much more power we could see in the RZ 450e when it arrives at dealerships later this year.   The concept of battery swap stations is seeing a surprise resurgence, but only in China for now.    Speaking of power, the concept of battery swap stations for EVs is seeing a surprise resurgence of interest from at least a couple of companies. Even before battery manufacturer CATL announced last month that it would enter the field of battery swap stations with its Choco-SEB format, which it promises to be compatible with about 80% of EVs currently on sale, automaker Nio has already built hundreds of battery swap stations for its models in China.    Nio noted a short time ago that it has completed over 800 individual stations in China as of late January, and is planning to have 1300 such stations open by the end of the year. Its latest station model, shown last spring, can even automatically maneuver the vehicle into the station.    "Each Nio Power Swap Station 2.0 has 239 sensors and four collaborating cloud computing systems that maximize the application of visual recognition technologies," the automaker noted. "Enabled by the technology, users can complete a self-service battery swap with only one click while staying in the car.  The system is capable of completing up to 312 battery swaps per day, significantly improving swapping efficiency."    Of course, someone still has to pay for the convenience of not waiting 20 or 30 minutes at a supercharger station to accomplish the same task—or recharging a car even slower at home overnight. But the company has poured considerable resources into its swap station building efforts, just as faster and faster EV charging stations continue to be built.     Will this technology gain enough momentum to be a viable alternative to charging stations, or will it remain a relatively niche technology on the other side of the Pacific?             Chevrolet Silverado EV Racks Up over 110,000 Reservations    It's only been a few weeks since GM took the wraps off the Chevrolet Silverado EV, slated to become the brand's first electric pickup and the second for General Motors after the GMC Hummer SUT. But the battery-electric truck, scheduled to arrive next year, has already racked up over 110,000 reservations, the automaker reported this week. This includes orders from more than 240 fleet operators alone. READ THE FULL STORY    Future Lotus EV Could Be a Nod to the Esprit    Lotus has no shortage of planned models on the drawing board, both gasoline and electric, and it has just shared a very rough sketch of its first electric sports car. Slated to arrive in 2026, the as-yet-unnamed model, codenamed Type 135, could well be a successor to the Esprit.    Here's what we can expect from Lotus in the coming years when it comes to electric vehicles. READ THE FULL STORY McLaren, Zak Brown Ready to Energize Extreme E READ MORE The Polestar 2 Arctic Circle Is a Rally-Inspired EV READ MORE Jaguar Will Build Its Own EV Platform, Report Says READ MORE Tesla to Disable Rolling Stops after NHTSA Recall READ MORE Electric Cars vs. Gas Cars Pros and Cons   READ MORE What You Need to Know about EV Range and What Affects It READ MORE       Spread the word: If you know someone interested in staying on top of the rapidly growing EV segment, feel free to pass this newsletter along. 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