Lexus UX 300e range, battery & charging

While a few years ago, 50kW rapid charging was par for the course, it's no longer competitive in the premium SUV segment. Rivals like the Mercedes EQA, Audi Q4 e-tron and Volvo XC40 Recharge can all charge at more than 100kW, and each offers a real-world range of more than 200 miles.

That said, if you plan to use your car mainly for shorter trips, and can charge at home overnight, then the UX 300e could fit the bill nicely. The UX can charge from a home wallbox at up to 6.6kW; AC and DC charging cables come as standard on all models.

The charging port sits where the hybrid model's fuel filler is found: it'll be easiest to reverse into a charging bay as a result, although some public chargers may have a cable long enough to reach for those who prefer nose-in parking.

Lexus UX 300e range

Lexus claims a range of between up to 196 miles for the UX 300e – a figure calculated for the lower-spec models on 17-inch wheels. The bigger 18-inch rims don't make a huge difference; range for this model officially falls to 190 miles.

On our test, we found the Lexus to offer a range of around 165 miles on a full charge. While not quite what the maker claims, this figure seemed to drop largely in line with actual distance travelled. That's better than the Mazda MX-30 can manage, but it's some way off the 200+ miles offered by similarly-priced Mercedes, Audi and Volvo models.

Charge time

Lexus claims the UX 300e can charge from zero to 100% at a maximum of 6.6kW from a home wallbox in just over eight hours – a time that's just about feasible for an overnight charge. A rapid charge from a public 50kW DC charger will get the car's battery from 10 to 80% in 50 minutes. While that may have been competitive a few years ago, rivals like the Volvo XC40 Recharge can charge at up to 150kW – three times as fast.