The first electric car for Subaru, the Solterra, will be introduced to the Australian market in 2023.
The all-new Subaru Solterra retains traditional Subaru elements such as symmetrical all wheel drive; active safety technology; adventure capabilities and durable, reliable engineering – to an all-electric vehicle. Built on the e-Subaru Global Platform, a new all-electric vehicle architecture which was developed with Toyota Motor Corporation as a BEV (Battery Electric Vehicle) dedicated platform.
Blair Read, managing director of Subaru Australia said: “We are excited to confirm our first battery electric vehicle, the Solterra, in 2023. Solterra starts a new era for Subaru by combining electric vehicle technology with Symmetrical All Wheel Drive. This delivers the all-terrain capability Subaru owners have enjoyed for decades."
Structure and Safety
The design of the Battery Electric Vehicle capitalises on the batteries as part of the structure. The high-capacity battery packs are placed under the floor giving it a low centre of gravity, enhancing body strength and rigidity.
The company explains that by devising the skeleton shape of each part of the car body and optimising the material strength, Solterra achieves both weight reduction and superior collision safety at the same time. In the event of collision, the structure that transfers the load to multiple body skeletons efficiently absorbs the collision energy. It protects not only the vehicle occupants, but also the high-voltage equipment in the BEV.