Subaru Changes Its EV Strategy, Are They Smarter Than Everyone Else?

Long article, but how about telling us about the actual RV directions and invitations in store from Subaru?

I don’t necessarily agree that Subaru has held on too tight to Toyota’s aprons strings. Owning a RAV4 Hybrid, in addition to Gen 5 Outback, I feel that are making good utilization of the relationship, especially in the ares of EVs. Toyota is conservatively cautious going down that path and has played a very successful hand in the hybrid game, to the benefit of both Company and consumers. If the hybrid tech being used in Forester, and hopefully soon, the Outback, is based on Toyota’s, that is a win for those of us waiting for it in Subaru.

After reading this paragraph "Four new Subaru EVs are coming in 2028. Still, before that, Subaru and Toyota will produce a joint venture EV that Subaru will manufacture in its own plant in Japan, which is currently being constructed, starting in 2025. "This will be a learning as well, not just the technology but the production process,"
I'll wait till 2028 to buy another Subaru.

I’ve been a loyal Subaru owner for over 10 yrs with 3 leased crosstreks and an owned Forrester. When it came time for renewing my lease, I put a deposit on one of the 1st Solterras. But after looking at the range and the charging speed and with some of the initial delivery delays, withdrew my application and now own an Ioniq 5. I love my Ioniq, but it’s not a Subaru. Subaru needs their own EV platform with a longer range and a much faster charging speed than what’s available with the Solterra.

I hope Subaru progresses slowly on the EV front but what I think they really need is more Hybrid and PHEV offerings. This will be the sweet spot for their "unicorns"!

I think there are a lot of questions to be asked before one can conclude that Subaru is a smart and quick follower, and not just behind the curve. Questions a reporter could have asked could be:

1) How much money is Subaru paying to electrification leaders to buy pollution credits?
2) What, if anything, has Subaru done to ensure raw materials availability to be able to produce batteries at scale?
3) Is Subaru already working to develop battery expertise, or is the company intending to rely on 3rd party suppliers?
4) Other companies are finding the transition to electric vehicles an extremely expensive proposition. What is Subaru doing to ensure it has the financial capacity to make the transition?
5) Affordable EVs are requiring manufacturers to rethink many aspects of vehicle design. In what ways is Subaru already investing to ensure it's able to compete on price?

We bought first gen solterra and although it has its quirks as all subarus have, it has never faltered to deliver on safety and stability in poor weather conditions.

Charging speed I have heard is the driving concern but for our use it is a perfect fit. Going forward I am certain newer models will improve on that, and who knows maybe an OTW update or other physical modification will improve that for our generation.

Will purchase another in the future i am sure.

Full transparency, we have bought only subaru since 2017 our favourite forester XT (which we still own).

2028 is too late to more seriously get in the game. Other brands will have long established models, with years of fine tuning, and proven track records by then.
I love my 2024 Solterra limited.. it is a pretty easy fix to make it a high demand suv... swap the front awd motor with the FWD motor and put a better charger so ot can fast charge faster. Its already more fun than my wrx to drive in town.

Looking forward to a non plug-in hybrid Outback. This seems the better strategy until charging stations are available everywhere. Adding another 10-15 mpg to their already decent mpg would be great!

This isnt just Subaru. This is all Japanese auto manufacturers. Yes, they are smarter than all the rest. Always have been. You didnt think it was a coincidence that they make the longest lasting, most reliable vehicles, while still being more affordable than most by accident did you? For the foreseeable future, hybrids are the answer. Not EVs.

Great article. Thank you.
I have admired Subaru from a distance for many years but reluctant to buy a small production vehicle because replacement parts can be very expensive. My Simca experience was fun but pricey. We purchased two Tesla cars, an S and an X before Musk took his mental nose dive. I recently cancelled our Cybertruck order. I am excited about Subaru creating their own EV. They are someone I think I can trust in the long run.

Stop pushing as the people have spoken and the answer is NO.

To lead in the EV market and maintain Subaru’s capabilities an innovative approach might be considered. Apart from improving the range and adding towing capacity, there are small things that need attending to.

As a Solterra owner, things like a gas strut for the hood instead of the existing prop. The display unit needs to be revised to put the touch controls closer to the driver, they are currently a long and distracting reach. To make space develop in-wheel motors such as may be found in the Rivian.

Subaru is smart adopting what they can of Toyota's hybrid/EV technology. Toyota is a world leader in hybrid tech. Most Americans don't want EVs due to EV range limitations. I buy my vehicles new and run them at least ten years if possible. With an EV that would require an expensive high-voltage battery change-out.

All electric Baja pickup PLEASE!

Subaru and the other Japanese car makers may think they are winning by being a "quick follower, a smart follower", but I doubt it. Car tech is advancing so fast that having 'yesterday's tech' gets you no cred in the marketplace. Look at Korea...Kia and Hyundai are making a solid name for themselves, selling EVs like hotcakes, and providing an alternative to Tesla that is appealing to the masses. That is how you win in the EV marketplace...not waiting and copying IMO.

No interest in all electric cars from Subaru

I love my Subaru Forrester Sport, but I am not currently a fan of the EV's. I agree we have to be concern about our environment, but look at how they make the batteries for these cars. Also there is a lot of safety concerns in re: to these batteries. You can't park your car in a garage. So maybe we need to make more hybrids look more attractive to the consumer. Now, I
would just love for them to bring back the Baha.

I am sad that 2025 is the last year for the Legacy. I wish they would build a new generation of hybrid Legacys. I think that Subaru following other manufacturers by dropping sedans is a big mistake. They trend of only offering SUVs because Americans supposedly prefer them is wrong from my perspective.

I think they are very smart in their strategy. Too many manufacturers are jumping in without the infrastructure in place. I like many people are concerned about changing time, range, price, battery life and safety. Until these factors approach that of a gas powered vehicle, I will stick with gas.

I think they're doing the right thing if they don't want to go broke. At least in America we still haven't figured out How to process and use our recyclables that we've been collecting for decades?. Jumping head first into something is never sensible. American automotives will be bailed out again by our tax dollars for jumping in to Fantasyland.

Subaru is very smart to take a cautious approach to EVs. We drove our fuel efficient Ascent from Houston to Vancouver last summer. We would have been stranded numerous times IF it had been an EV. Inadequate charging infrastructure exists in Wyoming, Montana and parts of Texas, New Mexico and Colorado. People who jumped into buying EVs were duped. They cost more, depreciate more and are less reliable. Subaru should give hybrids a hard look before going full EV. Loyal Subaru customers might go for that. But not a full on EV. Subaru owners don’t want to have range anxiety when they are out exploring. That would kill the brand. My 2 cents coming from a family who owns 8 Subarus.

I am a 2023 Subaru Solterra owner. Previously, a 2021 Subaru Crosstrek owner. So, honestly going Electric Vehicle was a move in a positive direction, with clear markers on the the difference between what I consider the closest parallel equivalent from a gas powered motor to Electric Motors. Maintenance is cheaper, mileage only peaked a concern at -51°C to -36°C when the EV was consuming the most electricity but proved itself very worthy and instantly reliable. The denser 2028 Battery Toyota has created will allow for faster charge time and greater distance; 30 minutes to a full charge opposed to two hours for the batteries I currently use, for same on a Level 3 Charger. A Level 2 is an additional two hours from the same empty drained battery metric to a full charge. A epically huge selling point is the charging cord provided that draws less resistance than a Block Heater, and as a Level 1 charger it is equivalent to a trickle-charger at taking an entire 12 hours to charge 50% , but aside from it being easier on the battery, it get me to town. 47km from work, it was $25 for Gas roundtrip : $2.78 worth of electricity in the summer and $5.61 worth of electricity at its coldest. Paying for a HyperCharge at most cost me $11 dollars, at a gawd awfully long wait for it to cost that much, but learned when fully charged it is incentivized to unplug immediately or face an idle surcharge, or worse still it sets the charging pace. At work we have an Electric Delivery Truck, which requires the Level 3 Charger for the larger battery assembly but will charge my small battery assembly faster than any other charger, yet safely. Next milestone, is the big maintence service, but the money I have saved pays for itself, and at nearly $2 per Litre that alone I am saving money even with the car payment.

I would like to think they will also carry on making hybrids. At least give existing and future new hybrid models 5 generations of remodelling or upgrades.
Not just because I prefer hybrids but there needs to be a parts base to keep parts prices low.

As I’ve stated before between my late wife and I we have owned almost 10 Subarus. If not more I’ve lost count be honest. I presently owned at 2018 Crosstrek and it’s the first one that I’ve experienced mechanical issues. At 60,000 and 70,000 miles I have replaced both rear wheel bearings. My local mechanic independent but Subaru trained and went on their own has said that the installation was the problem. I live in Western, Massachusetts, and I agree that our roads are in need of tough repair, but this issue has disappointed me. At 74 I may or may not buy, another new car

I’m a Subaru owner since 2003 and very pleased with the product. When I saw the lead up to this article I was anxious to read it. Wow, five minutes of verbiage with very, very little information. That article sounded like something from a High School writing class where students add words to get the required amount the teacher directed. Blah, blah, blah. Shame on the author!

But where are their hybrid models?? These are the best of both worlds. Energy efficient, and Toyota knows how to do this. Why not Subaru, if they're sharing technology from Toyota?

2028 is late for joining the EV game, as California is pretending eveyone will be buying EVs by 2030.