Toyota JV Will See SUV EV Branded Subaru Solterra in 2022

Posted on 11 May 2021 by Ken Zino
Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on 2022 Subaru Solterra and Toyota bZ4X

Ho-hummm…

Subaru of America, Inc. today announced that it will name its new full-electric SUV the Solterra. Designed as a joint venture between Subaru and Toyota, the Solterra has a new, dedicated all-electric platform named the e-SUBARU Global Platform.

The joint venture combines Subaru’s all-wheel drive technology with Toyota’s vehicle electrification technology. (Toyota, Subaru at Shanghai Introduce Latest Joint-Venture EVs, Suzuki, Subaru, Daihatsu, Toyota and Mazda form JV on Technical Specs for Next-Gen Vehicle Communications Devices)

The name Solterra comes from the Latin words for “Sun” and “Earth” to represent Subaru’s “commitment to deliver traditional SUV capabilities in an environmentally responsible package.”

The Toyota bZ4X is an SUV BEV jointly developed with Toyota’s partner, Subaru. It adopts the e-TNGA BEV-dedicated platform that was jointly developed by the two companies: Toyota with advanced expertise in electrification, starting with hybrids; Subaru is expert on AWD technologies.

Toyota plans to produce the Toyota bZ4X in Japan and China, with worldwide sales of the model by the middle of 2022. U.S. product details eventually will emerge, but the product lines were under development during the previously failed administration, currently ensconced in exile at Mira-lardo, that was hostile to globalization and started a losing trade war with China, the world’s largest auto market. Some delays were inevitable. The Toyota U.S. lineup which in total accounts for more than 40% of all alternative powertrain vehicles sold in the U.S. – including battery electric, hydrogen fuel cell electrics, hybrids and plug-in hybrids.

As it stands now, Toyota plans to expand to around 70 electrified models globally by 2025. This future lineup will have 15 dedicated BEVs, including seven carrying the bZ (Beyond Zero) brand moniker. In addition, Toyota intends to bring electrification to its pickup truck lineup in the near future, including hybrid and BEV powertrains. This diverse portfolio of electrified products is intended to move Toyota toward its goal of carbon neutrality by 2050.

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About Ken Zino

Ken Zino, editor and publisher of AutoInformed, is a versatile auto industry participant with global experience spanning decades in print and broadcast journalism, as well as social media. He has automobile testing, marketing, public relations and communications experience. He is past president of The International Motor Press Assn, the Detroit Press Club, founding member and first President of the Automotive Press Assn. He is a member of APA, IMPA and the Midwest Automotive Press Assn. He also brings an historical perspective while citing their contemporary relevance of the work of legendary auto writers such as Ken Purdy, Jim Dunne or Jerry Flint, or writers such as Red Smith, Mark Twain, Thomas Jefferson – all to bring perspective to a chaotic automotive universe. Above all, decades after he first drove a car, Zino still revels in the sound of the exhaust as the throttle is blipped during a downshift and the driver’s rush that occurs when the entry, apex and exit points of a turn are smoothly and swiftly crossed. It’s the beginning of a perfect lap. AutoInformed has an editorial philosophy that loves transportation machines of all kinds while promoting critical thinking about the future use of cars and trucks. Zino builds AutoInformed from his background in automotive journalism starting at Hearst Publishing in New York City on Motor and MotorTech Magazines and car testing where he reviewed hundreds of vehicles in his decade-long stint as the Detroit Bureau Chief of Road & Track magazine. Zino has also worked in Europe, and Asia – now the largest automotive market in the world with China at its center.
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2 Responses to Toyota JV Will See SUV EV Branded Subaru Solterra in 2022

  1. Pingback: Subaru 2023 Solterra Electric SUV Starts at $46,220 | AutoInformed

  2. Pingback: Toyota Subaru JV Spawns Global Debut of Solterra EV | AutoInformed

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