Subaru’s next EV will be smarter, more efficient, and less like a Toyota — SkimNews
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- Subaru revealed its first dedicated EV platform with in-house batteries, motors, and an integrated control unit on Sunday, with some of the new tech rolling out around 2029.
- The prototype EV, mounted under an Outback body, featured AWD with 509 hp (380 kW) combined and accelerated from 0 to 62 mph in under 4 seconds.
- The new battery pack uses 4,000 cylindrical cells from Panasonic Energy, is 24% lighter than Subaru's previous pack, and targets 20% higher energy density than the industry average.
- Subaru's new motors deliver 30% higher efficiency than the industry average, according to the company's engineers.
- Subaru is developing an in-house ECU to support over-the-air updates and integrate its EyeSight ADAS, plus a custom AI chip built with Advanced Micro Devices for future EyeSight iterations.
- Subaru is preparing to branch off from its 2024 Toyota co-development partnership, which had targeted four new electric SUVs from each brand by the end of 2026 (including the updated Solterra and bZ4X/bZ).
- Subaru is targeting 1.2 million vehicles delivered by the first half of the 2030s—topping its 2018 record of 1.1 million—after selling about 924,000 vehicles last year.
Why it matters: Subaru's break from Toyota marks a strategic pivot as it tries to catch up to BYD and Tesla, with its 1.2-million-vehicle target by the first half of the 2030s sitting roughly 30% above its ~924,000 sales last year. The Panasonic-sourced cylindrical cells and AMD-designed AI chip show Subaru assembling a vertically integrated tech stack rather than continuing to share Toyota's architecture.
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