Full Breakdown
Subaru Unveils In-House Electric-Vehicle Platform Targeting 2029 Rollout
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Subaru Unveils In-House EV Platform
Subaru displayed a prototype built on a dedicated electric-vehicle (EV) architecture at its test course north of Tokyo. The test mule, based on a previous-generation Outback body with a longer wheelbase, houses dual electric motors that together produce roughly 510 horsepower and accelerate to 62 mph in under four seconds. The company declined to disclose projected driving range, battery capacity, or charging speeds, emphasizing that the prototype is a development platform rather than a production-ready model.
Background: Shift from Toyota Partnership
For more than five years Subaru has co-developed EV powertrains with Toyota, a relationship that enabled the brand’s current EV SUVs such as the Uncharted and Solterra. Executives said the new platform reflects a strategic move toward brand independence, allowing Subaru to control its own EV technology and preserve its all-wheel-drive and safety heritage.
Technical Highlights
- Motors: Front unit 150 kW (?201 hp); rear unit 230 kW (?308 hp). Engineers claim the motors are about 30 % more efficient than the industry average.
- Battery: Developed with Panasonic Energy, the pack uses 4,000 cylindrical cells, is 25 % lighter than Subaru’s prior battery, and offers roughly 20 % higher energy density than typical industry packs.
- Weight Savings: The complete platform is estimated to be around 220 lb lighter than Subaru’s existing EV architecture.
- Safety Features: Redesigned front structure and a rotating front e-motor are intended to absorb crash energy and protect occupants and the battery.
- Electronics: A new integrated control unit, built on a custom AMD system-on-chip, will enable over-the-air updates and support the next generation of the EyeSight driver-assist suite.
- Timeline: Subaru indicated that technologies from the new platform will begin reaching customers starting in 2029.
Official Statements
He added that the move aims to give engineers the flexibility to evolve the brand’s core attributes.
Verbatim Quote
“By developing vehicles in-house and having EV technologies on our own, we can quickly deliver to our customers the peace of mind and driving pleasure that define Subaru, even in this era of change,” — Takatomo Watamori, Subaru’s executive officer of engineering