Subaru unveils new pictures and details of its first EV: the Solterra

Subaru unveils new pictures and details of its first electric vehicle: the Solterra

Electrek.co by Fred Lambert September 1, 2021

[{"selector":"#anim-af50ad0c-7d03-4fe6-af2d-c45b132bb480","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":500,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Subaru has released today new pictures and details of its first electric vehicle, the Solterra, which is coming to market next year. Like its partner Toyota, Subaru is taking its sweet time to get on board with battery-electric vehicles.

[{"selector":"#anim-96417be9-d6a1-456a-a044-53867845c02e","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":500,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Earlier this year, it finally announced its first all-electric vehicle: the Solterra . At the time, the Japanese automaker only released a teaser image and limited details about the new electric vehicle.

[{"selector":"#anim-b24b6422-726e-4493-a92c-d30815d45721","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":500,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Today, Subaru released a few more details on a new webpage:

[{"selector":"#anim-2fb80940-56bd-45c4-adef-d622d8f453a3","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":500,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] “The next generation of Subaru SUV capability has a name: Solterra. The 2023 Subaru Solterra, which was named by combining the Latin words for “Sun” and “Earth,” is built on the e-Subaru Global Platform, a new all-electric vehicle architecture. The Solterra EV brings the Subaru brand’s trusted reliability, state-of-the-art safety technology, and legendary all-wheel-drive engineering to an environmentally responsible all-electric SUV. The Subaru Solterra electric SUV – the natural evolution of Subaru all-weather, all-road performance – is scheduled to go on sale in 2022.”

[{"selector":"#anim-3b85141a-3588-4170-ae14-df4964ac44fa","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":500,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] The automaker commented on the interior of the upcoming electric vehicle: “Our most technologically advanced Subaru yet. Solterra is quiet, spacious and comfortable equipped with all the cabin technology you need for a modern SUV.”

[{"selector":"#anim-f3c1da8b-5304-4e20-ab67-fb3768848ec4","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":500,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] The Solterra is expected to hit the market late next year as a 2023 model year vehicle.

[{"selector":"#anim-59c41a5f-f5e7-481f-8ccd-acab5c047576","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":500,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Electrek‘s take It’s nice to see more pictures, and from what I can see now, this looks like a solid design. Best-looking Subaru to date in my opinion, and I know people have strong opinions about Subarus.

[{"selector":"#anim-d8df400e-f0e1-40cc-846b-138f4ed50ff8","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":500,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] However, I find it weird that the company is boasting about their great all-wheel-drive system applying to this vehicle. All electric vehicles with dual motors have better all-wheel-drive systems than any combustion engine vehicles, including Subaru.

[{"selector":"#anim-10bd09f9-928e-4b63-856a-1767a7bb90d2","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":500,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Now Subaru can lay claims to having a better AWD than any other combustion engine vehicle thanks to its symmetrical link design, but EVs with dual motors can have perfect symmetry.

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[{"selector":"#anim-44052276-a225-42d2-b3f1-461f39a628bf","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":500,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-dc41cd78-c74b-4945-bce5-36251cc14a37","keyframes":[{"transform":"rotate(-540deg) scale(0.1)","opacity":0},{"transform":"none","opacity":1}],"delay":0,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both","iterations":1}] I don’t think Subaru will have an advantage on that front with EVs, but it will still have great AWD. Either way, I’m excited to see the first Subaru all-electric vehicle.