Subaru Corporation announced the development of the all-electric Solterra SUV, which is scheduled to go on sale in 2022. It will be the first Subaru vehicle to be built on the battery electric vehicle dedicated e-Subaru Global Platform.
The platform, jointly-developed by Subaru and Toyota, enables the deployment of various types of electric vehicles by combining the design and manufacturing of multiple modules and components. Both companies bring their extensive automotive expertise to the table, creating a completely new platform.
The Solterra itself will also be jointly developed by both companies, involving a wide range of collaboration especially in the areas of product planning, designing, and performance evaluation. In this collaboration, the two companies combine their respective strengths, such as Subaru's acclaimed all-wheel-drive technology and Toyota's outstanding vehicle electrification technology, to create a brand new SUV with attributes that only an all-electric vehicle can offer.
The name Solterra is a portmanteau of 'Sol' and 'Terra', the Latin words for 'Sun' and 'Earth' respectively. Subaru gave this name to the vehicle to underscore the company's priority of sustainability, and to represent its commitment to deliver Subaru's defining go-anywhere capabilities in an all-electric vehicle. The Solterra will be joining Subaru's existing lineup of SUVs, which includes the Ascent, the Outback, the Forester, and the Subaru XV.
