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Lexus is preparing to launch its all-electric LFA hypercar, engineered to deliver the same emotional and dynamic driving experience as the original petrol-powered model — but without recreating its iconic V10 roar.

The new LFA made its first dynamic public appearance in prototype form at the Goodwood Festival of Speed. It effectively serves as the electric counterpart to Toyota’s V8-powered GR GT supercar.

While full specifications remain undisclosed, the car is expected to be Lexus’s first production model to feature solid-state batteries (SSB). These batteries are significantly more energy-dense than the current liquid-based packs, promising improved performance and efficiency.

Constructed on the same lightweight aluminium platform as the GR GT, the new LFA shares its general proportions but adopts a more restrained, less track-oriented appearance. According to concept designer Shogo Kasamatsu, this design direction pays homage to the understated elegance of the original internal combustion LFA.

“The LFA was a very humble design, very artistic, and rooted in its true purpose,” Kasamatsu explained, pointing out the new model’s minimalist and refined aesthetic compared with its Toyota counterpart.

Kasamatsu further noted that the design philosophy was focused on “conveying a message rather than adhering to our current design language,” meaning the concept wasn’t required to align directly with Lexus’s existing production styling.

He also mentioned that the current prototype closely reflects the final production version, stating that it is “almost finished” ahead of its planned release next year.

According to Kasamatsu, the car’s main purpose is to “challenge” prevailing assumptions about performance electric vehicles. “Many people don’t believe that battery power is exciting at the moment,” he said. “This is a huge challenge.”

Yukihiro Yukita, general manager of the LFA project, echoed this sentiment, admitting that limited demand for high-priced electric sports cars is “our biggest challenge.”

However, he emphasized Lexus’s ambition to become a “leader” in persuading supercar enthusiasts to transition from internal combustion to electric power — with a genuine, engaging driving experience being central to that effort.

“From what I hear in the market, many people think a battery-electric vehicle feels fake,” Yukita said. “That’s because we imitate the sound of an engine — but that’s not what we want to do.”

Rather than artificially reproducing the sound or feel of a traditional powertrain, Yukita explained, Lexus wants LFA drivers to “feel as though they are driving a car with an engine.”

He acknowledged that one of the main drawbacks of EVs, aside from their heavier weight, is the loss of engine sound and vibration — sensory elements that deeply engage the driver.

On the other hand, he pointed out that electric sports cars offer superior responsiveness and linear power delivery — characteristics “we cannot get from an engine.”

Yukita added that engineers have the freedom to “eliminate all unnecessary sounds and vibrations,” allowing them to “reset to zero and decide what we want to create when redesigning the sound and sensations, to positively engage the driver’s senses.”

While recognising the success of Hyundai’s and Porsche’s approaches to synthesised EV powertrains, Yukita clarified: “We don’t just want to replicate the sound of an engine — we want to reinvent what sound itself means for an electric supercar.”