Subaru officially unveiled Solterra, its first electric SUV. It is a vehicle born from the collaboration with Toyota. In fact, it has several elements in common with the new Toyota bZ4X unveiled at the end of October. Subaru’s first battery-powered model will be marketed by mid-2022 in various markets including Japan, the United States, Canada, Europe and China. It will also be sold in Italy. The price list has obviously not yet been communicated.
Let’s see, now, the first details that the Japanese automaker has shared.
DESIGN AND INTERIOR
The new Solterra electric SUV measures 4,690 mm long × 1,860 mm wide × 1,650 mm high, with a wheelbase of 2,850 mm. This vehicle obviously rests on the same platform as the Toyota bZ4X that has been renamed Subaru Global Platform. It is a platform developed specifically for electric cars only. From a design point of view, the similarities with the Toyota home model are obvious.
The biggest differences are found at the level of the front that allows you to make the Subaru model immediately identifiable. In particular, you can see a more elaborate bumper, a different grille and optical groups with a different design. Alloy wheels can be 18 or 20 inches.
The interior is very similar to that of the Toyota SUV. We find the digital instrumentation placed above the steering wheel in an advanced position and the large infotainment screen placed centrally. The space on board is certainly not lacking thanks to the wide wheelbase that the SUV has.
ENGINES
Few news on the powertrain front given the kinship with the Toyota electric SUV. Subaru has announced that Solterra will be available with a double electric motor that will also allow all-wheel drive. We find two 80 kW units for a total power of 160 kW with 336 Nm of torque. Performance has not been reported. However, the Toyota model with this engine is able to reach a top speed of 160 km/h and accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in 7.7 seconds.
To power the powertrain a 71.4 kWh battery that can be recharged in direct current up to a power of 150 kW and up to 6.6 kW in alternating current. The range, according to the Japanese WLTC cycle, reaches up to 460 km. Like the other Subaru SUV models, Solterra is equipped with the AWD X-MODE control system that improves the sense of safety on uneven roads. By adding the new Grip Control function, which allows the vehicle to operate at a constant speed stabilizing it even on uneven roads, the off-road capability has been further improved.
There should also be several driver assistance solutions to make travel safer. Surely, more details of the Solterra will be communicated as its marketing approaches.
