Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Cars
  3. News

Electric SUV co-developed by Subaru, Toyota may not appear until 2025

Stephen Edelstein
By

Subaru and Toyota have entered into an agreement to co-develop electric cars, but the first product of that partnership may not appear for several years. Subaru unveiled a mockup of an electric SUV at a technology briefing in Japan, but wouldn’t offer a more specific launch date than “before 2025,” according to Automotive News Europe. What’s more, Subaru’s CEO said the United States will not be a priority for electric models.

The mockup had a tall SUV body, with a low roofline and steeply raked rear window, according to Automotive News Europe, giving it a sleeker look than more traditional models like the current Subaru Forester. Black plastic cladding over the wheel arches, similar to the Subaru Crosstrek, is meant to give the vehicle a more rugged appearance. The mockup also had cameras in place of exterior mirrors, according to Automotive News Europe. Some production models, including the Lexus ES and Audi E-Tron, have camera mirrors in certain markets, but the technology is not currently legal in the U.S.

Recommended Videos

Given that Subaru is only willing to show a design mockup at this time, it’s likely the electric SUV won’t start production until closer to 2025. Subaru is a relatively small automaker, lacking the resources to develop electric cars on its own. That’s why the company is teaming up with Toyota. But Toyota has relatively little experience with battery-electric cars, having focused primarily on hybrids and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles until now.

Related

Subaru CEO Tomomi Nakamura also told Automotive News Europe that the U.S. will not be a priority for the rollout of electric cars. He said only Tesla electric cars sell well in the U.S. and that, while demand for electric cars may increase, it will likely take a while.

Despite Subaru’s association with liberal, tree-hugging customers in the Northeast and Northwest, the automaker’s approach to green cars has been conservative. The only electrified Subaru currently available in the U.S. is a plug-in hybrid version of the Crosstrek, which mates a Subaru engine to a Toyota hybrid system. The plug-in hybrid comes with a substantial price premium over the standard Crosstrek, and doesn’t offer as much electric-only driving range as other plug-in hybrids.

Subaru wants to do better. By 2030, the automaker expects electric cars and plug-in hybrids to make up 40 percent of its global sales, according to Automotive News Europe. By the mid 2030s, Subaru will have a hybrid or all-electric powertrain available in every model, Automotive News Europe reported. That will likely be necessary to meet stricter global emissions standards. Subaru will likely continue to borrow hybrid powertrain tech from Toyota.

In addition to hybrids and electric cars, Subaru and Toyota will also launch a new version of their jointly developed sports car. This will replace the current Subaru BRZ and Toyota 86, which have been around since the 2021 model year and are due for a redesign.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Stephen Edelstein
Stephen Edelstein
Contributing Editor
Stephen is a freelance automotive journalist covering all things cars. He likes anything with four wheels, from classic cars…
We need more 7-passenger EVs, but the 2023 Mercedes EQS SUV has room to improve
Front three quarter view of the 2023 Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV.

Mercedes-Benz is continuing to expand its EV lineup, this time with a model aimed at (wealthy) families.
As the name states, the 2023 Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV is an SUV derivative of the EQS sedan. With the EQS sedan positioned as the electric analog to the Mercedes S-Class, the EQS SUV is the electric version of the GLS-Class. And like that vehicle, the EQS SUV is available with up to seven seats across three rows.
That makes the EQS SUV an important vehicle not just for Mercedes, but for the cause of EV adoption in general. While the Tesla Model X and Rivian R1S also offer three rows for family-hauling duty, there’s a lot more room in the market for another entry. Given the popularity of equivalent gasoline luxury SUVs like the GLS, Land Rover Range Rover, and Cadillac Escalade, the EQS SUV arrives not a moment too soon.
The EQS SUV is scheduled to reach U.S. dealerships this fall in three guises. The base rear-wheel-drive EQS 450+ starts at $105,550 with destination, while the all-wheel drive EQS 450 4Matic and EQS 580 4Matic start at $108,550 and $127,100, respectively. Although it will be built in Alabama, the EQS SUV won’t qualify for the revised federal EV tax credit because it exceeds the $80,000 price cap for SUVs.

Design and interior
A defining feature of Mercedes’ EQ lineup is aerodynamic bodywork aimed at maximizing range. The typical SUV is not aerodynamically ideal, but Mercedes managed to achieve an impressively low drag coefficient for an SUV — at 0.26, it’s close to the Toyota Prius. But function clearly took precedence over form. Mercedes deserves credit for not going in the polarizing direction BMW did with its two-row iX SUV, but the EQS SUV looks like a melting scoop of ice cream.
More disappointing is the third row, which should be the EQS SUV’s defining feature, but seems more like a useless afterthought. Adults will find it difficult to insert themselves into the third-row seats, let alone tolerate riding in them. As in most three-row vehicles, the rear seats also pretty much eliminate cargo space. And if you want to fold them down to create more cargo room, you’ll have to do it manually as Mercedes didn’t include a power-folding system — a bit disappointing for a six-figure car. The EQS SUV also lacks a frunk; like the EQS sedan, the hood is sealed.
The EQS SUV looks like a melting scoop of ice cream.

Read more
Jeep is launching its first two electric SUVs in the U.S. in 2024
Rendering of the Jeep Recon electric SUV.

Jeep will launch four electric SUVs for North America and Europe by the end of 2025, with at least two coming to the U.S., the automaker confirmed Thursday. While Jeep has some plug-in hybrids in its lineup, these will be the brand's first all-electric models.

The first of these models to launch will be the Jeep Recon, which is scheduled to start production in 2024, with reservations opening in early 2023. While it won't be fully revealed until next year, Jeep confirmed the Recon will have a "one-touch power top, removable doors, and glass," similar to the current Jeep Wrangler. While it doesn't replace the Wrangler, it's definitely inspired by the iconic off-roader, Jim Morrison, head of the Jeep brand in North America, said during a presentation of the electrification plan.

Read more
2022 Rivian R1S first drive review: An EV SUV fit for an expedition or a drag race
The front three-quarter view of a 2022 Rivian against a rocky backdrop.

Rivian beat the likes of Ford, General Motors, and Tesla to market with an electric pickup truck, but now it’s time for act two.

The 2022 Rivian R1S shares most of its DNA with the Rivian R1T pickup released late last year, but in place of a bed, it has a three-row cabin with seating for seven. It retains the R1T’s distinctive styling, impressive off-road capability, and improbable acceleration, but in a package for drivers who need to carry people instead of stuff.

Read more