The Boxer engine and symmetrical all-wheel drive system have long been cruxes of the Subaru brand. It’s the maverick in an industry that largely favours the straight engine and front-wheel drive setup. But as progress would have it, things are about to be a lot more generic in the electric age, making it a lot more challenging to stand out.
Subaru won’t go down without a fight. Say hello to the Solterra, its first ever battery-electric vehicle. It’s jointly developed with Toyota (bZ4X is its twin sibling), and the Solterra sits on a new dedicated EV platform called e-Subaru Global Platform (e-SGP; e-TNGA for Toyota).
In terms of size, it’s slightly larger than the C-segment Forester, measuring in at 4,690 mm long, 1,860 mm wide and 1,650 mm tall, with a wheelbase of 2,850 mm. It also has a minimum ground clearance of 210 mm and turning radius of 5.7 metres. There are many clever design details that are functional, so we’ll let David Dello Stritto take you on a comprehensive walk-around tour of the sleek new SUV.
For now, just know that the Solterra will go on sale starting mid next year, and it will be available with either a front- or all-wheel drive setup. A 71.4 kWh lithium-ion battery (operates at 355 volts) is standard, and it can be charged at a maximum of rate of 6.6 kW (AC), or 150 kW for DC fast-charging up to 150 kW. There’s also the option of a solar roof, if you so fancy.
The FWD model gets a single AC synchronous motor that makes 150 kW (204 PS), while the AWD gets two motors – each rated at 80 kW (109 PS) – for a total of 160 kW (218 PS, 336 Nm). Maximum range for the FWD is 530 km, while the AWD sees this reduced to approximately 460 km.
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The momentum to electric cars in Europe and china is amazing. But over here, the charging stations is just not there yet. Plus range anxiety. Not good for long trips due to time it takes to charge.
bring to malaysia pls