The rise of electric vehicles (EVs) means a lot of good things to car lovers — engineers can wring far more acceleration out of an EV than a gas-powered car, and even send out downloads to update performance over time. But it means one real loss those who love to drive will mourn: EVs don’t have transmissions. If you love the feeling of shifting your own gears, you’re out of luck in a car without gears.
Lexus, however, has been trying to solve that problem for years. The company first revealed its research on shiftable EVs in 2022. It now appears likely to reach showrooms in late 2025.
The 2026 Lexus RZ will almost certainly be an electric car you can shift. The shifts will be artificial — a matter of programing, not physical gears — but designed to feel real, which may be enough to please many. And it won’t quite be the first. Hyundai’s low-volume, high-performance Ioniq 5 N is on sale now with a similar setting.
Waiting on a Few Details
We put “almost certainly” in that statement because Lexus hasn’t officially revealed the 2026 RZ that will come to the U.S. yet. This week, the company unveiled the European version of the car. In communications with journalists, though, the company’s American communications team has linked to the European announcement. The car is likely to be the same on both continents.
We won’t know pricing until closer to launch, but the current RZ starts at $43,975 after a mandatory $1,175 destination fee.
Longer Range, Faster Charging
The RZ is the company’s first all-electric vehicle in the U.S., though Lexus has long sold a full lineup of electrified hybrids and plug-in hybrids (PHEVs). Our editors like its build quality and smooth, serene ride, but find the range limiting and charging speeds slow.
Lexus will address both of those problems for 2026. The company says the next version of the SUV will offer “a 20% increase in driving range and shorter charging times,” though it hasn’t published specific estimates for the U.S.
Since the current model gets up to 266 miles between charges in its longest-range version, that boost could mean as much as 319 miles.
New F Sport Model, Simulated Shifts
Other changes include a new RZ 550 e F Sport trim level with 402 horsepower, added aerodynamic elements outside, and an “exclusive steering wheel and sporty design elements” inside, according to Lexus.
But the signature feature will be Interactive Manual Drive, which Lexus says “enhances the excitement of shifting by synchronizing acceleration and deceleration with immersive sound.”
We’ll need some time behind the wheel to tell you whether the simulated shifts are convincing. But we have a feeling there is a subset of buyers who will always turn it on when the road gets interesting.