The first electric car from Subaru could arrive in 2025

Subaru may be lagging behind its larger rivals in terms of electrification, but it wants to make up lost ground with a new plan that aims to electrify its entire line-up by 2035.

During a technology briefing held by the Japanese carmaker, Subaru has announced its new long-term technology goals as its partnership with Toyota strengthens and it reveals a new design study for a fully electric crossover.

The production version of the design study is currently under development in partnership with Toyota and is scheduled to go on sale before 2025. In addition, Subaru wants battery electric and hybrid models to account for 40 percent of its global sales by 2030, and to electrify its entire range worldwide in the first half of the 2030s.

Subaru and Toyota are currently jointly developing a dedicated platform for electric cars. Despite the partnership with Toyota, Subaru also added that it is focusing on improving its ‘distinctive strengths’. “We will further evolve our core technologies of horizontally opposed Boxer engines, all-wheel-drive technologies, superior driving performance and safety, the EyeSight driver assistance system and environmental technologies,” the company said in a statement.

Subaru will launch its new hybrid models using Toyota technology by 2025, almost at the same time as its fully electric SUV. Currently, the company offers mild hybrid and plug-in hybrid variants of the Subaru Crosstrek, the Subaru Impreza and the Subaru Forester in different regions of the world.

“With the aim of making Subaru different from other brands, we will further refine the distinctive qualities that make a Subaru a Subaru, while maintaining the unique attributes our customers expect,” said Tomomi Nakamura, president of Subaru. “At the same time, as we work to fulfil our social responsibilities, including protecting the global environment, we will leverage the unique character and technological innovation of Subaru to contribute to the creation of a carbon-free society.”

At a press conference in Tokyo, Subaru outlined its long-term plans for technology development and carbon emissions reduction. The company will continue to “evolve” its core technologies, such as its Boxer internal combustion engines. Reuters also reports that Subaru is strengthening ties with Toyota in developing new technologies. That could result in a new jointly developed fully electric SUV, but not until 2025.

In the announcement, Subaru unveiled the first design study for the fully electric crossover that will be developed with Toyota. The mock-up of its first electric car was described as a SUV with an elongated cabin and a raked rear window. It has giant steps with darkened wheels.

Subaru presented its Stella EV in Japan in 2009. Almost a decade later, Subaru presented the plug-in hybrid Crosstrek, which offers a fully electric range of 17 miles. US sales of the Subaru plug-in in 2019 were approximately 1,000 units.