There’ll quickly be three extra Subaru electrical automobiles. And extra “Subaru” Subaru EVs.
Subaru’s solely present EV is the Solterra (pictured above), a good however not spectacular EV that was a bit hampered by a rocky introduction to the market. Like Toyota, which co-developed the Solterra (and the same Toyota bZ4x) with Subaru and is beginning to get extra critical about plug-in fashions, Subaru isn’t letting this gradual begin dampen its EV plans an excessive amount of. Late final week, Subaru introduced that three new all-electric SUVs are coming by 2026, together with an up to date plan to construct as much as 400,000 EVs a yr.
The expanded EV plans had been introduced by Subaru director and government vp Atsushi Osaki throughout a name with reporters in regards to the firm’s fiscal yr 2023 outcomes. Whereas we might all wish to know extra about these future electrical SUVs, Osaki declined to present any clues.
“I wish to talk about these new fashions in additional element at one other time,” he mentioned, in keeping with a transcript of the decision.
200,000 Subaru EV Gross sales in 2026
Subaru constructed 874,000 automobiles in fiscal yr 2023 and expects to supply over 1,000,000 in fiscal 2024. The corporate is not predicting particular manufacturing or gross sales numbers past that, though Osaki did say that Subaru plans to promote 200,000 EVs globally in 2026.
That is a good quantity contemplating the corporate’s EV destiny is tied, for now not less than, with Toyota. The Subaru/Toyota partnership is not going to finish with the Solterra/bZ4x. Osaki mentioned the three future Subaru EVs may also use batteries from the Toyota alliance. Toyota builds the Solterra for Subaru alongside the bZ4x at Toyota’s Motomachi plant. Wanting ahead, although, Subaru is able to forge its personal future in relation to EV manufacturing.
Final yr, Subaru introduced a Strategic Reorganization of Home Manufacturing relating to inexperienced automobiles. First, Subaru mentioned it should construct extra transmissions for Subaru fashions that use Toyota’s hybrid system. Second, Subaru is to begin manufacturing of its personal all-electric fashions at each its Yajima plant (beginning round 2025) and Oizumi plant (2027 or later).
Final week, Osaki confirmed that Subaru will certainly begin constructing EVs at Yajima in 2025 however at twice that authentic fee. Whereas Subaru initially meant to construct the capability to supply as much as 100,000 EVs a yr at Yajima, Osaki mentioned that quantity is now 200,000. Together with the unique 200,000 estimated capability for Oizumi, meaning Subaru will be capable to make as much as 400,000 EVs a yr at these crops beginning in 2028.
Whereas the Japan-based manufacturing of those future EVs is prone to imply they won’t qualify for tax incentives right here within the U.S., Osaki mentioned the manufacturing reorganizations will give the automaker the flexibleness to supply EVs, hybrids, and conventional internal-combustion automobiles within the quantities that market and regulators demand.
“On the similar time, it’s also vital to have the ability to shortly shift to ‘growth’ when now we have a clearer view of future prospects,” he mentioned.
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Contributing Editor
Sebastian Blanco has been writing about electrical automobiles, hybrids, and hydrogen vehicles since 2006. His articles and automotive opinions have appeared within the New York Instances, Automotive Information, Reuters, SAE, Autoblog, InsideEVs, Vehicles.com, Automobile Speak, and different shops. His first green-car media occasion was the launch of the Tesla Roadster, and since then he has been monitoring the shift away from gasoline-powered automobiles and discovering the brand new know-how’s significance not only for the auto business, however for the world as an entire. Throw within the current shift to autonomous automobiles, and there are extra fascinating adjustments taking place now than most individuals can wrap their heads round. You will discover him on Twitter or, on good days, behind the wheel of a brand new EV.
