Electric 2022 Subaru Solterra on the horizon

The Subaru Solterra not only ushers in a new name for the Japanese brand, but a new form of propulsion as well, being its first battery electric (BEV) model. When it arrives in mid-2022, it will rival the Volkswagen ID.4 and Ford Mustang Mach-E, along with the Skoda Enyaq iV.

It will have similar specifications to its Toyota bZ4X sister vehicle, because both models are based on the e-Subaru Global Platform, which has been jointly developed by Subaru and Toyota. The modular platform (referred to as e-TGNA by Toyota) will allow the brands to ‘roll out various types of EVs efficiently’, according to Subaru, because the front, mid and rear sections can be adapted, and various components swapped in or out. This is likely to include varying battery sizes, as well as different combinations of motors to offer steps in performance and either two- or four-wheel-drive capability.

The Solterra is expected to be similar in size to the current Forester model, and its name is said to incorporate both ‘Sol’ and ‘Terra’, the Latin words for ‘Sun’ and ‘Earth’. Subaru chose it to ‘appreciate mother nature and further advance the form of co-existence with it, together with our customers, and to represent our commitment to deliver traditional Subaru SUV’s go-anywhere capabilities in an all-electric vehicle.’

Subaru has previously said it aims for 40 per cent of its vehicle sales to be hybrid or electric by 2030. So far, it has released mild hybrid variants of its Forester, Impreza and XV models.