Toyobaru Strikes Again: Toyota, Subaru Join Forces on EVs
Toyota and Subaru are working together on electric vehicles, the automakers announced this week. The companies will jointly develop a platform for electric vehicles, as well as a new C-segment electric SUV based on that platform.
The small SUV will be sold by both companies under their own brands. The platform will accommodate a wide range of vehicles, including C-segment and D-segment sedans and SUVs. According to the automakers, the new products will incorporate the strengths of each company, including Subaru’s all-wheel-drive technologies and Toyota’s electrification prowess.
Having formed a business partnership in 2005, the two companies have been linked for quite some time. Toyota is Subaru’s largest shareholder, and a prominent collaboration has been the Toyota 86 and Subaru BRZ rear-drive sports cars. More recently, Subaru borrowed Toyota’s hybrid technology for the Crosstrek plug-in.
The automakers didn’t say when we can expect to see the new electric SUV. But the collaboration should help the automakers achieve economies of scale that will bring EV technologies more quickly to market.
Compared to other industry players, Toyota and Subaru are a bit late to the EV game. Subaru recently launched its plug-in Crosstrek, and it will finally offer a pure EV by 2021, we’ve heard. Meanwhile, Toyota has mostly put its eggs in the hybrid technology basket, although an all-electric Lexus entry-level model could be on the way.
Source: Toyota, Subaru
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