2025 Auto Shanghai: New Lexus ES Sedan Debuts With First-Ever All-Electric Variant

Lexus has officially lifted the veil on the all-new generation of its ES luxury sedan at the 2025 Auto Shanghai, introducing a host of structural, technological, and design updates. The most significant development is the debut of the first-ever all-electric ES, a move that signals the brand’s deeper commitment to electrification and aligns with its broader strategy toward a carbon-neutral future.

Building on the Lexus design direction previewed by the LF-ZC electric concept, the new ES adopts a thoroughly modern aesthetic while retaining its luxury sedan DNA. Key exterior updates include a reimagined spindle grille, where the design now flows organically from the hood to the corners of the bumper, and dual L-shaped LED headlights that integrate daytime running lamps and turn indicators. A coupe-like roofline replaces the traditional three-box profile, giving the new ES a more streamlined, performance-oriented appearance. At the rear, a full-width light bar enhances the car’s visual signature and improves night-time visibility.

The interior has also seen a comprehensive overhaul, guided by the brand’s “Time is Luxury” philosophy. The design emphasises minimalism, spatial openness, and tactile quality. Notably, Lexus has introduced four interior colour options, including a bamboo-inspired green, which aims to convey natural purity. The dashboard features liquid crystal displays enhanced with anti-glare coating, while the cabin includes both a “Comfort Front Passenger” package and a “Premium Seat” package for rear occupants. Innovative materials, such as bamboo-layered translucent trim on the door panels, reinforce Lexus’s intent to blend tradition with modern luxury. Audiophiles will find value in the Mark Levinson surround sound system, tailored to the new cabin geometry and complemented by ambient lighting.

Dimensionally, the new ES is significantly larger than its predecessor. Overall length has grown by 165 mm, while the wheelbase has increased by 80 mm, resulting in enhanced legroom, particularly for rear-seat passengers. The updated GA-K platform underpins the sedan, with structural improvements designed to optimise rigidity, handling, and ride comfort. 

Mechanically, the new ES debuts two battery electric variants- the ES 350e and the ES 500e. While Lexus has yet to publish full technical specifications, the ES 500e will feature the brand’s DIRECT4 intelligent all-wheel-drive system, which dynamically adjusts torque between the front and rear axles based on driving inputs such as speed, acceleration, and steering angle. Battery packs are mounted under the floor to lower the centre of gravity and enhance vehicle stability. Suspension duties are handled by a MacPherson strut setup at the front, with a newly optimised rear arrangement. Select variants will also benefit from Adaptive Variable Suspension (AVS) with a linear solenoid valve system for improved damping precision, and Dynamic Rear Steering (DRS) with up to 4 degrees of counter-steering at higher speeds for better agility. 

Safety remains central to the ES proposition. The latest iteration comes equipped with Lexus Safety System+, which now supports a wider range of adaptive cruise control functions and includes a driver monitoring system. The system adjusts vehicle behaviour based on the driver's alertness and condition, advancing the brand’s efforts to integrate intelligent safety technology.

Although the ES has traditionally been a global model assembled outside China, the automaker announced that its wholly owned Shanghai manufacturing facility, set to begin production in 2027, will support the electrification push. It remains unconfirmed whether the ES series will be built at this plant.