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By Charl Bosch

Motoring Journalist


Subaru commences teasing all-electric new Solterra

Solterra will be the second model after the BRZ/GR86 to be co-developed with Toyota.


Subaru has released the first official teaser image and indeed the name of its new dedicated all-electric SUV going on sale in mid-2022.

Riding on an electrified version of its Global Platform called e-Subaru Global Platform, the Solterra is the second model after the new BRZ and GR86 to be jointly developed with Toyota, with the newcomer deriving its name from Latin words for “sun” (sol) and “terra” (earth).

Set to bring Subaru’s global SUV/crossover count to five after the XV, Forester, Ascent and Outback, the Solterra will be marketed not only in Japan and China, but also the United States, Canada and Europe with no plans in place to bring it to South Africa.

According to Subaru, the newcomer will feature not only its rally-derived Symmetrical All-Wheel-Drive system, made up of two electric motors mounted on each axle, but also “superior passive safety and vehicle stability, which Subaru has always been pursuing”.

Despite the seemingly early teaser campaign, the Solterra is likely to be revealed within the coming months before arriving on dealership floors in the target markets next year.

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