Subaru names its electric SUV
Thursday, 23 April 2020
Subaru's upcoming electric SUV now has a name, if overseas media reports are correct.
The new medium SUV will be called Evoltis and is being developed with Toyota input.
Apparently the name was trademarked in the US back in 2018 but Subaru only joined up with Toyota halfway through 2019 to work on the model. It will be one of the first to ride on a new electric vehicle platform for mid-sized and large passenger cars, including sedans and crossovers.
Subaru gave our first preview of the vehicle earlier this year at a Japanese technology conference in Tokyo. According to Japanese publication Spyder7 the production car will be a 'more aggressive' version of the concept, with a 'larger hexagon grille' and 'bold LED headlights'.
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Under the skin will be a new powertrain offering around 213kW. All four wheels will be powered and range will span up to 500km. No more details were given aside from a mention of a 'large capacity battery'.
The Evoltis isn't due for a while, with Subie's e-Boxer hybrid models due first. We should see them land in New Zealand later this year or early next.
The eBoxer drivetrain utilises an electric motor and lithium-ion battery - from Toyota, which has shareholding in Subaru and is a technology partner in its electric drive programme - working together with a Subaru 2.0-litre boxer petrol engine. The combustion engine produces 110kW of power and 196Nm of torque while the electric motor offers 12kW/66Nm. The combined outputs have not been revealed.
The XV and Forester SUVs are about to be the company's first models to update to a hybrid drivetrain that will fulfil Subaru's electric ambition until the availability of a plug-in hybrid car. Eventually, the Impreza will also be offered with the electrified powertrain.