Lexus isn’t a newcomer to the hybrid game. It has offered a number of hybrid vehicles, including three sedans including the LS Hybrid, and three hybrid SUVs. The 2022 NX 450h+ is officially the brand’s first plug-in hybrid, however, and while it will help Lexus live up to its goal of revealing 20 new green vehicles by 2025, it also got some serious performance chops. The best part is that it’s the first of many, but let’s not get too far off topic just yet.
Yes, the 2022 NX 450h+ is a plug-in hybrid, but this isn’t just a boring car with a little bit of all-electric range. It does offer up a rather impressive all-electric range of 37 miles, but the electric powertrain and 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine combine to produce a very healthy output of 304 horsepower. As I pointed out before – there’s some serious performance chops on the line here. Todd Blickenstaff, Lexus’ product marketing senior analyst, said “It still has a gas tank, and you can drive very far, just like you can in a traditional car. A lot of people think that the main purchase reason for getting an electrified vehicle is the fuel economy. I think for the new NX 450h+, it might actually be performance.”
Beyond this, you won’t necessarily have to plug in the 450h+ if you don’t want to. Charging the car, however, will allow you to enjoy that aforementioned 37 miles of all-electric range. And, it’s not a bad wait as the optional 6.6 kW charger and a 220-volt outlet will get you to a full charge in just 2.5 hours. It should also be noted that the 450h+ shares a lot of DNA with the Toyota RAV4 Prime, so it may not be as big a victim of supply chain issues, and it’s riding on proven technology.
