The next Lexus CT is likely to be offered as a pure EV, as well as hybrid, when it arrives in 2020.

Lexus is planning a radical successor to its CT hatch – and the newcomer could be offered as a pure-electric Tesla Model 3 rival, as well as a petrol hybrid.

The existing CT Hybrid is still being sold in several countries, where its hybrid-only powertrains have given it an extended lease of life. But the forthcoming arrival of the new UX small crossover had been expected to sideline the five-door hatch.

Lexus’s European boss Pascal Ruch has said that a CT successor is on the way, and the brand is looking to offer “something different” to counter the Mercedes A-Class and BMW 1 Series..

Lexus may decide to shake up the CT’s design, too. The car will have to rival both the A-Class and GLA – and we understand a number of proposals are under consideration, including a hatch and a crossover that mixes SUV cues with a less upright stance.

The CT is likely to arrive in 2020 as a sister model to the Auris, sharing that car’s TNGA platform. And while no pure EVs have been introduced on that architecture, it’s understood to be compatible with the brand’s goal of offering “more than 10 battery-electric models” by the early 2020s.