A pure electric car runs only on electricity stored in a battery. You charge it instead of pumping gas.
Term
Multipath
“Multipath” means the car is designed so different versions can exist—like hybrid and fully electric. The idea is to give people choices while keeping the car’s feel and features consistent.
EV route is the navigation setting made for electric cars. It helps you plan your trip by considering how much battery you have and where you can charge along the way.
Range is how far an electric car can go before the battery runs low. So “300 miles of range” means you can drive roughly that far on a full charge (depending on driving conditions).
Initial torque is the “push” you feel immediately when you hit the gas. Electric motors can deliver that power right away, so the car feels quick off the line.
The Lexus ES is a luxury sedan. Here, the hosts are saying Lexus still sells a meaningful number of sedans like the ES, even while pushing EVs and hybrids.
Concept
EVs vs hybrid pricing
They’re comparing prices between electric cars (EVs) and hybrid cars. The idea is that the first EVs may be cheaper to start with, to attract more buyers.
They’re saying the electric-car market is crowded and companies have to be careful with how they launch and price their EVs. The competition is especially intense in big states like California and Florida.
A hybrid uses both a gas engine and an electric system. The idea is to get better efficiency than a gas-only car, even if it isn’t always the strongest on raw power.
A third-row SUV is built to carry more people. This segment is talking about a new Lexus electric SUV that’s meant to fit a larger group than a typical two-row SUV.
An infotainment system is the dashboard screen and controls for things like music, navigation, and other car settings. They’re saying Lexus has a newer version with more features.
The Lexus RZ is Lexus’s electric SUV. They’re saying it’s been doing well, and it’s one of the EV choices Lexus is offering right now.
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Today we're here in La Jolla, north of San Diego.
We're sitting in the Lexus ES, the sixth generation of a 2027 model.
We're with Sam Wintermeyer.
You said you had a very long title, what is it?
Tell the whole thing.
No, no, general manager of marketing for Lexus.
So, thank you for having us here first.
And we're sitting in this car which is going to come to market, I think, this in June, I believe they say, right?
And very interesting, sixth generation of the ES and we were driving by, coming back to the hotel and we saw what?
Eight generation of ES.
Eight generation, okay.
Six generation hybrid system.
Oh, okay.
That's the sixth, yeah.
You're the expert.
No, I wouldn't say that, but I wanted to make sure it was eight generations.
But it's good to have the people who know, not like me.
And when I asked the stupid questions and somebody had the correct answer.
So anyway, we were driving back and we saw one that it looked like first or second generation.
The difference was, we'll go Google it, the first generation had the naming on the actual light and then this one had it above it.
So maybe it was, it must be like 30 years old, that car looked impeccable.
It looked like it was new.
And that's the quality of Lexus, right?
I remember with the very first one, the LS from 89 to, I guess.
I mean, those cars, I drove it.
I had a chance to drive it when you celebrated, what, 30 years and Lexus in Costa Rica.
And the car drives almost the same, not exactly the same.
It's much better than new one, but that's the quality.
I mean, that you keep improving the cars over and over and now we're in a different time.
So tell us a little bit about the evolution of the ES because very successful car for you guys, right?
Yeah, it's been very successful.
It's been a huge part of our portfolio over the last 37 years.
It's grown over the years with this segment.
And, you know, it's very important for us for our future to make sure that we continue to be in this luxury sedan segment.
And make sure that we continue to grow that market for the Lexus brand.
And you can see all the difference in the modern luxury that we put into this car
to make sure that it's staying very competitive and cutting edge and growing the market.
So this is Audi only, but we're sitting in the executive trim, I believe.
Luxury.
Luxury with bamboo details here, leather, the new infotainment system.
So like everywhere is like top, top level design and quality as every other Lexus.
But this generation is the first one with a hybrid and a pure electric, right?
Yep.
Multipath is what we're talking about.
So it really allows us to build a car and allow the guests to decide how they want, how they want to live, right?
And so it adapts to their lifestyle.
And so there's not a big change from Bev versus hybrid.
Obviously the powertrain and, you know, plugging it in versus, you know, filling it up.
But you get the same quality.
You get the same luxury experience.
You get the same great guest experience.
No matter what powertrain you pick, it's just which one's best for you in your lifestyle.
People are unique, right?
Yeah, exactly.
And that's what people want.
People want options.
They want choices.
A lot of people are still afraid or like they've never experienced an electric car.
Right.
And I always tell like you have to do it because there's we can do videos.
We can write articles.
We can do podcasts.
But if people don't experience it, they don't really know.
Right.
But this car, they were showing me the new infotainment system.
Like if you put it in the nav, it tells you everything about it.
Like where are you going to have a percentage of charge you have.
So you're helping in that sense, right?
EV route, which helps you and guides you to where the EV charging stations are so that you can plan your trip and have more confidence in where you're going.
And then getting that for people who are still have doubts about it.
Like this one has about 300 miles of range 307 307 402 horsepower.
So an electric car is really powerful and like initial torque really, really cool.
But tell me what else?
I mean, it's bigger, right?
Like it's much bigger.
I mean, you can, well, they can't see, but there's a lot of leg room in the back, which I think is a very big competitive advantage for us.
In the sedan market, you know, it's, it's, it's less manufacturers are in the luxury sedan market.
So when we came to the market, we were making sure that we had a vehicle that was really different and that could hit a lot of different lifestyles.
And we think this back seat and the trunk space will allow some, maybe even some customers that are, you know, traditionally crossovers, maybe come over back over to the sedan market with the size of it.
But when you drive it, it still drives like a sedan, doesn't drive like a big, huge luxury sedan, which is great.
There's a little bit of a trend.
Like I've been reading headlines and Instagram and other posts about sedans are kind of coming back.
I mean, maybe SUVs are still the most old.
They are style, but people still want sedans, right?
Yeah.
What do you, what do you know about the new marketing studies for Lexus?
Yeah.
I will tell you, you know, sedans are still about 20% of our mix when we're, when we have our, our ES launch and our IS fully launched.
So that's still a big part of the market.
It's about 15% of the market nationally.
So there's still a demand there and there's still a lot of demand, particularly in California and Florida, which are still big sedan markets and their big luxury markets.
So we're, we don't want to leave any percentage of the market.
Yeah.
Right.
And you have like the legacy of this model.
That's right.
You have to take a mind.
So let's talk about something that really caught my attention because the pricing is, it's interesting.
I mean, the EVs starts lower than the hybrid, right?
Right.
The first version.
Talk about that.
Yeah.
Uh, the EV market is very competitive and we want to make sure that we launch it appropriately and we are competitive in that segment.
So, um, it's a very, as you know, competitive market in California and in Florida and some of these bigger states.
So we want to make sure we launch it appropriately and we think this is a good strategy moving forward.
So it starts below 50, like 48, 895.
Correct.
And, uh, it can go to up to 60 because when you load it up with everything, with, uh, we drive and all that kind of thing.
But still, I mean, like if you think it's a luxury car, I think it's, it's really, really competitive.
Good.
Um, and then the hybrid model obviously offers you a lot, a lot of different other options, right?
So less horsepower than the electric, but still like the same kind of, uh,
And a little bit more horsepower than the last generation, which is great.
Better gas mileage at the same time than the last generation.
So we think it's a very attractive package and we think it's going to be pretty successful.
Yeah.
So that's the ES, 8th generation, 6th generation of a hybrid 6th.
I got it right this time.
But here at this event, you also brought something else.
A new three row electric SUV.
Tell us about that.
That's like a big, uh, big thing for, for it.
It is.
It is.
I can't talk too much about it.
I got them in the back.
I'll get in trouble.
Um, but, uh, we're, we're very, very excited about it.
Third row SUV, um, you got to take a look at it.
The rest of look, we just had our world premiere, um, May 7th.
Um, so we got it out there in the public.
Um, it's something unique for us.
Uh, it's going to be our fourth third row SUV in the Lexus, um, which is great.
A lot of options.
Again, we got to get back to what's best for the guests.
What's their lifestyle?
How can this car fit into their lifestyle?
And we think, uh, that TZ will definitely be a big part of that, uh, plan moving forward
and the space is unbelievable.
Uh, and we think the styling and the modern luxury, you can really feel the similar
modern luxury kind of, um, design in the ES.
Very minimalistic, but very functional.
Right.
And you also can see that in the TZ also.
And here next to us is in the RC with the beauty.
What, two years ago, I believe it was.
Yeah.
So some people will say like, okay, what's Lexus doing?
Like people are talking against EVs and electric, but then Lexus shows up with new
new, more or more electric models.
So the strategy you already answered in the park, you want to offer options, right?
But why is this important for Lexus?
Yeah.
I think it's really important.
I mean, if you look at EV sales in California, Florida and Texas, they're still really strong.
Yeah.
There's still a big segment there of guests who want EVs.
I didn't find any results.
Oh yeah.
Because it's listening to us.
Yeah, you listen to us.
No, listen to us.
Uh, by the way, that's the infotainment system, which is the newer generation with a lot
of new features as we mentioned.
And she heard you say Lexus.
You did again?
I don't know.
But anyway, so you were saying it's important.
It's important and they're looking for the new cutting edge of EV and we want to make
sure that we have an option for them and not only just one with the RZ, which has been
very successful this year.
We've been doing a great job with this SUV, but also want to make sure we had a sedan,
which we now do with the ES and now we have a third row option for them.
So I'm really expanding that footprint for them and allowing them to choose between those
cars.
And you have the new IS there.
And I was just reading that poster that you have.
You have a big event coming up because it's the 25th anniversary anniversary of IS.
So it's still a iScar.
iScar.
I know.
I know a rare bird these days.
Yeah, I know.
Yeah, we're very proud of the IS.
We're excited about our tour.
We're going to take it around and allow all the guests to have their ISs and did some
great customizations to it to come and celebrate the IS.
What are they doing?
So Miami LA?
Miami LA, Chicago, New York and Dallas.
Wow, yeah.
And that's an event open to the public?
Yeah, so we announced it and then we, I think it was around 350 to 400 spots per location.
Oh, wow.
You had to register and we're sold out on almost every location already.
Immediately.
So people still love that car.
They love the car.
They really do love the car.
And it looks really, really cool.
So, well, thank you very much for having us here.
Very unique experience.
Again, mixing, well, it's not all technology, but traditional, let's say, gas technology,
EVs, electrics and hybrids and all that kind of thing.
And then even a ICE engine over there with IS, right?
So thank you very much again.
And I'm going to register for the Miami one.
I'll leave there.
So maybe I can get a spot still.
Tell Richard he's here.
Okay, that's fine.
Thank you.
That's it for today's AI Auto podcast with Javier Moda.
Hope you enjoyed the ride as much as we did.
Tune in next time for more on how AI is steering the wheel of tomorrow's autos.
Drive safe, stay curious and catch you later.
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About this episode
Lexus’ electrification plan takes center stage as the hosts walk through the ES’s generational evolution and the idea of “Multipath,” offering both hybrid and pure-electric options with a consistent quality feel. They also cover EV routing that boosts confidence, plus practical details like an “about 300 miles of range.” Lexus frames EV pricing against hybrids, calls the EV market “very competitive,” and teases a new three-row electric SUV (TZ) alongside expanding its electrified lineup beyond the RZ.
In this episode, we’re in La Jolla, California for an exclusive test drive of the 2027 Lexus ES — now available as both a hybrid and full EV — plus our first look at the all-new three-row 100% electric TZ SUV. We sit down with Lexus marketing executive Sam Wintermyer to discuss why this electrification strategy is landing at exactly the right moment for the iconic Japanese luxury brand, balancing heritage, performance, and the evolving demands of luxury buyers.
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