Subaru, Toyota in world changing partnership

Two Japanese automotive giants have joined forces, and the consequences could have a monumental effect on the industry and the cars we buy.

Subaru is about to revolutionise its range with an all-new SUV due in the coming years.

The Japanese brand has teamed up with automotive giant Toyota to develop a range of electric cars. The companies have form in this department, teaming up at the start of the past decade to build the Subaru BRZ/Toyota 86 sports car.

This partnership has the potential to bring affordable electric cars to market on a mass scale thanks to the popularity of both companies in big markets such as America.

Both companies shared expertise — and more importantly costs — to develop a new modular electric car platform that could spawn up to six Subaru EVs.

The EV is expected to take styling elements from the brand’s earlier concept.

Toyota has already confirmed it will show off its first electric SUV built on the EV platform next year — a RAV4-sized zero-emission vehicle — which indicates Subaru’s EV could be Forester-sized.

The EV is expected to borrow styling from the brand’s unnamed electric vehicle concept shown in January.

Earlier this year Subaru committed to reshaping its future as it revealed its entire line-up would have either electric or hybrid power by the middle of this decade.

At the time of that announcement Subaru’s president Tomomi Nakamura said the brand would strive to keep the core attributes that make a Subaru unique — including all-wheel drive and top-shelf safety technology — while also fulfilling its social responsibility and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Subaru launched mild hybrid versions of the XV and Forester SUVs this year.

“As we work to fulfil our social responsibilities, including the protection of the global environment, we will leverage Subaru’s unique character and technological innovation to contribute to the creation of a carbon-free society,” said Nakamura.

One of Subaru’s defining characteristics is all-wheel drive, a feature common on EVs thanks to the ability to have an electric motor powering each axle or wheel.

Now that Subaru has got the ball rolling on electrifying its range it could signal that the next-generation WRX — due in 2022 — could feature hybrid tech before going fully electric in future generations.

This would also be needed if the brand wishes to sell its performance car in Europe, where increasingly stringent emissions regulations are causing many brands to switch to petrol-electric combos.

Subaru plans to reveal more details of the coming electric vehicle in 2021.