The All-New Lexus ES Is Available With an All-Electric Powertrain
The next Lexus ES will be different in more ways than one.
The Japanese luxury automaker has just unveiled the 2026 edition of its long-running sedan. The four-door has been treated to a substantial makeover and comes with three new powertrains, two of which are fully electric.
The outgoing seventh-generation ES looked like a car stuck between two ideas. An attempt to try something new without veering too far from what came before resulted in a somewhat generic design that even a mid-cycle refresh couldn’t markedly improve. But that won’t be a problem for the executive car’s eight generation.
The madeover 2026 Lexus ES
Lexus
The latest version of the four-door appears to take much of its design inspiration from the LF-ZC concept and the battery-powered RZ SUV. Like those EVs, the sedan has sharp, dramatic lines running from front to back and the company’s trademark “spindle” grille is barely even hinted at. This, along with an added half foot of length between the bumpers, gives the vehicle a more sculptural shape than it’s had since arriving on these shores in 1989. Add in a razor-thin, split headlights and you have yourself a sedan that looks modern, a descriptor that hasn’t applied to the ES in decades.
The interior has also been thoroughly reworked. The cabin is roomier thanks to the longer wheelbase, something only accentuated by the space’s minimalist styling. Up front you’ll find the usual array of digital screens—a 12.3-inch instrument cluster tucked behind the steering wheel and a 14.0-inch infotainment system in the center of the dashboard—and there’s also a distinctive 3D-printed trim meant to look like natural bamboo. An Executive package that upgrades the rear seats and adds a passenger-side ottoman will also be available.
The all-new ES has a minimalist interior
Lexus
The ES, which shares a platform with parent company Toyota’s ever-popular Camry, will be available with three different powertrains. The ES350h features a hybrid setup available in either a front-or all-wheel-drive configuration that pairs a 2.5-liter inline-four with an electric motor. This version makes 244 hp, which is 29 hp more than before, and can go from zero to 62 mph in 7.8 seconds. There also two all-electric options. The front-wheel-drive ES350e makes 221 hp and can reach 62 mph in 8.9 seconds, while the all-wheel-drive ES500e makes 338 hp and can hit 62 mph in 5.9 seconds. Lexus has announced how big the battery in either of the EV models is, but the ES350e should be able to travel 300 miles on a single charge.
The new Lexus ES may have made its debut on Wednesday at the Shanghai Auto Show, but we’ll have to wait a bit for it to make stateside. The vehicle isn’t expected to launch in the U.S. until sometime next year. We’ll have to wait until closer to that unknown date to find out how much the sedan will cost.
Click here for more photos of the 2026 Lexus ES.
Lexus
