On Tuesday, Lexus announced it’s working to elevate the charging experience for drivers that opt to buy its new RZ 450e all-electric utility vehicle. The luxury automaker is partnering with two titans in the field, ChargePoint and Qmerit, to offer customers integrated charging solutions, both at home and on the road.
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ChargePoint is famed for its large public charging network as well as for offering at-home charging hardware. Qmerit, on the other hand, is an integration solutions provider that, among other things, helps people get new EV chargers installed in their homes safely.
As for the specifics of this newly announced partnership, select Lexus dealerships will help customers purchase ChargePoint Home Flex Level 2 chargers at the dealer or directly from ChargePoint. The benefits of this hardware are numerous: It can be installed indoors or out, comes with a generous 23-foot-long cable, is Wi-Fi enabled and features an Energy Star certification. A Level 2 AC charger, this unit can add about 25 miles of range to the RZ 450e’s battery per hour, a rate that’s powerful enough to fully replenish the pack when plugged in overnight. Of course, when you’re not at home, the Lexus app can help drivers find available Level 2 and DC fast chargers in ChargePoint’s North American network.
Qmerit’s role in this deal is to help guide customers through the sometimes-convoluted charging process. They can help you find the charger that meets your needs, provide a free quote, and even find a certified electrician to install the hardware you end up purchasing. As with ChargePoint, Qmerit’s services will be available to purchase upfront when buying at new RZ 450e.
“Our arrangement with ChargePoint and Qmerit was created to provide RZ guests with tools and services to help them to understand, identify and solve their charging needs so they can feel confident in their Lexus Electrified journey,” said Dejuan Ross, Lexus group vice president and general manager in a release published by the company. Charging is a major concern for many first-time EV buyers, so it’s important for automakers, especially luxury brands, to ensure customers are educated, so they can take full advantage of their new EVs.
“Through this arrangement, Lexus drivers will benefit from the simplicity of having access to all of their charging information, across public and home charging, when using Home Flex and the ChargePoint network,” said Michael Hughes, chief revenue officer of ChargePoint. Echoing this, Ken Sapp, senior vice president of business development at Qmerit said, “We are very excited to team with Lexus and ChargePoint to deliver turnkey charging installation services for the RZ 450e — extending our vision to be a leading source of integrated solutions for America’s shift to electrified transportation.”
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The RZ is the Lexus brand’s first global battery electric vehicle. Based on the e-TNGA platform, this SUV offers familiar styling with a suitably aggressive front end, though that’s not all. The RZ lineup will also offer ample driver aids thanks to the Lexus Safety System+ 3.0, a traction-enhancing all-wheel-drive system and plenty of luxury. Further broadening its appeal, the 2023 RZ 450e should be surprisingly affordable. Expect this utility vehicle to start at right around $60,000, which is not at all a bad price for an EV from a blue-chip company like Lexus.
