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DETROIT - Lexus yesterday revealed the HS 250h, the world's first dedicated luxury hybrid vehicle, at the North American International Auto Show.

The HS 250h will be the fourth hybrid for Lexus and the most fuel-efficient vehicle in its line-up.

It also will be the first Lexus to utilise carbon-neutral Ecological Plastic materials in a new futuristic cockpit, and interior design scheme.


A welcomed addition to the brand's entry level luxury sedan line-up, the HS 250h fits between the IS luxury sport sedan and the ES luxury sedan.

Research has shown that more than 60 per cent of entry level luxury car buyers would have considered a hybrid if available, and the HS will provide these consumers with a viable purchase option.

Equipped with the first Lexus four-cylinder petrol engine, the 2.4-litre Atkinson-cycle powerplant is part of the latest Lexus Hybrid Drive System that generates approximately 138kW across the total system.

The highly efficient Atkinson-cycle engine was made possible by using the Variable Valve Timing with intelligence (VVT-i) system, and it allows the expansion/power stroke to be longer than the compression stroke so that combustion energy can be more effectively used for production of engine power.

HS 250h's expected fuel efficiency will be more than 30 per cent better than the most fuel-efficient model currently in the Lexus line-up, while earning a Super Ultra Low Emissions Vehicle (SULEV) emissions rating utilising regular petrol.

Among the technologies adopted in the 2.4-litre four-cylinder engine are piston oil jets for cooling; an optimised balance shaft rate for reduced Noise, Vibration and Harshness (NVH) characteristics; and a hot-air venting system mounted behind the radiator.

Like the all-new RX 450h hybrid utility vehicle that made its debut in November, the HS 250h will include a new system designed to improve efficiency. The exhaust heat recovery system reduces engine warm-up time, thus allowing it to stop earlier, more often, and for longer periods.

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