Tested: 2026 Lexus ES 350e Is a Compelling EV, But Its Performance Lacks Juice

The ES 350e isn't quick, but there's still a lot to like about this electric luxury sedan

written by Brian Wong
edited by Steven Ewing
7/9/2026
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What's new: The redesigned Lexus ES is newly available as an EV; the base ES 350e starts at $48,795 including destination.
Why it matters: This gives Lexus an entry in the midsize luxury EV space, competing with the Audi A6 E-tron, BMW i5, Mercedes-Benz EQE and more.
Edmunds says: The ES has a lot going for it, but the single-motor ES 350e's lack of performance is surprising.

The midsize Lexus ES sedan received a thorough rework this year, with sharper styling, more luxury and — for the first time — the option of a fully electric powertrain. Following our initial drive of the electric ES 500e earlier this spring, we brought the single-motor ES 350e to our test track and put it through the Edmunds EV Range Test. This is a very good luxury car, and a solid competitor for rivals from Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz. Still, in our testing, its performance is somewhat lackluster. Which begs the question: Do you prioritize speed when buying an EV?

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The numbers

Measured up against the single-motor versions of the Audi A6 Sportback E-tron and BMW i5, the Lexus certainly falls short on performance — no surprise given its big deficit in horsepower. Taking 7.6 seconds to reach 60 mph mph, the ES failed to match Lexus' estimated time of 7.4 seconds and was more than 2 seconds slower than its rival EVs. It's also slower than the new ES hybrid (7.2 seconds).

Even worse is the ES 350e's quarter-mile performance, where it completes the test with a trap speed of just 89.3 mph. This EV really runs out of juice once you get up to highway speeds, so passing maneuvers will take a lot longer than you might expect for an EV. It took 11.1 seconds for the ES 350e to reach 75 mph, while the i5 and the A6 both hit that speed significantly quicker.

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Spec	Lexus ES 350e	BMW i5 eDrive40	Audi A6 Sportback E-tron
Battery	74.7 kWh	81.2 kWh	94.4 kWh
Motors	one	one	one
Power	221 hp	335 hp	362 hp
Torque	198 lb-ft	295 lb-ft	N/A
Transmission	single-speed automatic	single-speed automatic	single-speed automatic
Driveline	rear-wheel drive	rear-wheel drive	rear-wheel drive
Weight	4,786 pounds	4,861 pounds	4,874 pounds
EPA-estimated range	292 miles	270 miles	392 miles
Edmunds observed range	293 miles	321 miles	402 miles
0-30 mph	3.3 seconds	2.4 seconds	2.4 seconds
0-45 mph	5.1 seconds	3.7 seconds	3.6 seconds
0-60 mph	7.6 seconds	5.3 seconds	5.1 seconds
0-75 mph	11.1 seconds	7.5 seconds	7.0 seconds
Quarter mile	15.7 seconds @ 89.3 mph	13.7 seconds @ 103.1 mph	13.2 seconds @ 106.7 mph
Lateral grip (200-foot skidpad)	0.84 g	0.91 g	0.90 g
60-0 mph braking	124 feet	106 feet	121 feet

In our other tests, the Lexus put up numbers closer to the other sedans, except for braking, where the summer tires on the i5 gave it an advantage over the A6 and ES, which were equipped with less grippy all-season rubber. I do think that the skidpad number does sell the ES a bit short; it's certainly set up for comfort with the suspension (as it should be). And even though the ES has less overall at-the-limit grip, I found it to be fairly agile around our test track.

Range and charging

The single-motor ES 350e has an EPA-estimated range of 292 miles with our test car's 21-inch wheels; sticking with 19-inch wheels ups that number to 307 miles. In our testing, it exceeded that figure ... by 1 mile.

Compared to the other two vehicles, the ES is far behind both the i5 (321 miles) and the A6 (402 miles!) when it comes to range. But its efficiency, thanks to the smaller battery, is closer. At 26.6 kWh per 100 miles, it beats out the BMW (28.7 kWh/100 miles), but the Audi still uses its energy more efficiently (25.5 kWh/100 miles).

When it comes to the Edmunds EV Charging Test, the ES reached just 149 kW. The i5 hit 214 kW and the A6 went all the way up to 284 kW. But we also use our efficiency data to calculate how many miles of range are added per hour at a vehicle's average speed on a fast charger, and by that measure, the Lexus looks better. It adds 451 miles of range per hour, ahead of the BMW's 439 miles but well behind the Audi's 755 miles. All told, the Audi A6 E-tron is the leader of this group when it comes to range, efficiency and charging.

Stretching out

The new ES is more than 6 inches longer than its predecessor. It uses that added length to great effect in the back seat, which is gigantic. Plus, our test car has the Executive Seating package, a $3,635 option that transforms the rear of the ES into a seriously luxurious space. It adds a small control panel between the rear seats, heated/ventilated/massaging rear seats, and a fold-out footrest for the passenger to really stretch out. Strangely, this package is only offered on the single-motor EV versions of the ES — if you want the dual-motor ES 500e or the ES hybrid, you're out of luck.

The ES' technology has also improved; this sedan debuts a new infotainment system for Lexus that we like for its simplicity and ease of use. The digital instrument cluster can now display turn-by-turn directions from the navigation, and there's a standard dashcam in case any incidents occur.

There's a ton to like about the electric version of the new ES. It's comfortable, smooth, luxurious and priced well. It's not very fun to drive, but if that's not a priority for your new EV, then the Lexus won't disappoint.

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by Brian Wong

Brian Wong has worked in the automotive industry since 2010, writing over 1,000 car-related articles and testing and reviewing hundreds of vehicles over the course of career. Brian is a senior reviews editor at Edmunds and has also contributed to Cars.com, Motor Authority and Green Car Reports. Brian has also been featured on MotorWeek as an expert for several car comparisons. He loves convertibles (the smaller the better) and hates paying for parking, so Los Angeles is both the right and wrong city for him.

edited by Steven Ewing

Steven Ewing is Edmunds' director of editorial content. An automotive journalist for more than half of his life, Ewing's been on staff at Winding Road magazine, Autoblog, Motor1.com, CNET, and he was the U.S. correspondent for Top Gear magazine. He's also contributed to publications like Automobile magazine, Car and Driver, The Drive, Jalopnik, Porsche Panorama, and more. Ewing has worked in the automotive industry since 2003. From testing prototype cars in the Arctic Circle to spilling a beer on a Formula 1 driver at the 24 Hours of Le Mans (oops), he's always got an interesting story to tell.

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