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Subaru Solterra


ehsnils

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The next generation of Subaru SUV capability has a name: Solterra. The 2023 Subaru Solterra, which was named by combining the Latin words for “Sun” and “Earth,” is built on the e-Subaru Global Platform, a new all-electric vehicle architecture. The Solterra EV brings the Subaru brand’s trusted reliability, state-of-the-art safety technology, and legendary all-wheel-drive engineering to an environmentally responsible all-electric SUV. The Subaru Solterra electric SUV – the natural evolution of Subaru all-weather, all-road performance – is scheduled to go on sale in 2022.

https://www.subaru.com/solterra-ev

Edited by ehsnils
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Just saw this. I'm in the market for a midsize SUV to replace my wife's 2015 Corolla S. I've been trying to decide between a CX5 and a XC60 and need to do some test drives. Part of me wants to just go electric and get a Model Y, but this new Subaru would likely be more functional and budget friendly. Hopefully it's not vaporware.

 

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I find this interesting, it's the future. Which is why the builder will be installing previsions for a charging station in my new garage. If I don't use it, it will help the resale value. Edited by Max Capacity

305,600miles 5/2012 ej257 short block, 8/2011 installed VF52 turbo, @20.8psi, 280whp, 300ftlbs. (SOLD).  CHECK your oil, these cars use it.

 

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I doubt this is wishful thinking, like Max said it is the future, at some point all auto manf will need to convert to some kind of alternative power plant.

I think there is still a valid use case for gas and diesel beyond 2035 which is when many automakers say they will have full electrification. The big shift is going to be when the avg number of electric cars is greater than gasoline, that is when the floor will shift under the market.

The sooner Subaru gets on this path the better it will fair. Right now Chrysler seems to be the one kid eating paste and picking boogers in the corner (duh... its got a HEMI... duh) while everyone else is looking towards the future.

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Well, Norway is way on track:

OSLO (Reuters) - The sale of electric cars in Norway overtook those powered by petrol, diesel and hybrid engines last year, with German auto-maker Volkswagen replacing Tesla as the top battery-vehicle producer, new data showed on Tuesday.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-autos-electric-norway-idUKKBN29A0ZT

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  • 1 month later...

An electric Subaru? Subaru's whole brand image is the boxer engine. If they're gonna ditch that for electric motors, they might as well ditch the clunky unreliable inefficient crappy sounding things in favor of regular I4 engines in the mean time before the EV technology is realistically ready for mainstream use.

 

As much as we're Subaru enthusiasts, let's not all pretend that we think the H4 is a good design in today's market. It's 70s technology at best. It's unique and is basically Subaru's whole identity, without it they're just another car maker that produces small AWD cars and crossovers, the engines are the one thing that make it a unique brand. If everyone is cool with ditching it in favor of electric motors, we might as well abandon it before then in favor of engines that run smoothly, don't burn oil, and have a slight chance of being fuel efficient... lol.

 

Once again, not trying to hate on Subaru, but without the boxer engine what really sets them apart from other carmakers? I'm sure the stunning looks or luxurious interiors aren't what are attracting buyers lol. People like them because they're basically hearty little tractors. Get rid of that aspect and I'm sure Subaru will fade away into obscurity because there will be nothing left to draw in buyers. I feel like most EVs are already AWD, so what honestly will be the selling point besides brand loyalty?

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  • 1 month later...

 

.....but without the boxer engine what really sets them apart from other carmakers?

 

1) Safety record and 2) for years, the best AWD system available.

Subaru's image has never really stood on the boxer engine, not sure where that comes from. Yeah, they market it, yeah it works, yeah it's mundane in the average grocery getter. They get excellent mileage for an AWD car and have great longevity if taken care of.

 

Dropping the current engine in favor of something else would be a money foolish move. Why would they spend millions replacing the engine when fossil fuel burning engines are going to be gone or very, very different all together in just another decade or two? They'd never recover the costs of such a move before they'd have to dump it and get real with hybrid/EV tech or fall completely behind.

 

The selling point beyond brand loyalty? What would make you buy an EV Subaru over some other brand? Value? Cheaper and just as good? Styling? Answer that question for yourself and you'll have answered it for everyone.

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I doubt this is wishful thinking, like Max said it is the future, at some point all auto manf will need to convert to some kind of alternative power plant.

I think there is still a valid use case for gas and diesel beyond 2035 which is when many automakers say they will have full electrification. The big shift is going to be when the avg number of electric cars is greater than gasoline, that is when the floor will shift under the market.

The sooner Subaru gets on this path the better it will fair. Right now Chrysler seems to be the one kid eating paste and picking boogers in the corner (duh... its got a HEMI... duh) while everyone else is looking towards the future.

Easy on the Hemi!!! Mine alone is keeping the economy alive LMAO.

 

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1) Safety record and 2) for years, the best AWD system available.

 

 

Unfortunately the best AWD was the VTD transmission, but today all you get is the ATS which isn't as good - and I have experienced both.

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1) Safety record and 2) for years, the best AWD system available.

Subaru's image has never really stood on the boxer engine, not sure where that comes from. Yeah, they market it, yeah it works, yeah it's mundane in the average grocery getter. They get excellent mileage for an AWD car and have great longevity if taken care of.

 

Dropping the current engine in favor of something else would be a money foolish move. Why would they spend millions replacing the engine when fossil fuel burning engines are going to be gone or very, very different all together in just another decade or two? They'd never recover the costs of such a move before they'd have to dump it and get real with hybrid/EV tech or fall completely behind.

 

The selling point beyond brand loyalty? What would make you buy an EV Subaru over some other brand? Value? Cheaper and just as good? Styling? Answer that question for yourself and you'll have answered it for everyone.

 

Excellent mileage for an AWD vehicle? You think 23mpg out of a 2.5l 4cyl is excellent? (that was my wife's and some of my friends N/A 2.5s, my 2.5 turbo rarely even sees 21) Dude these engines are junk. They start burning oil under 100k, they have glass pistons, they vibrate a lot and sound like a VW bus. Safety, yeah sure they're safe- so isn't everything else besides tiny econoboxes like nissan versas and kias and stuff. Even Volvos which were renouned for their safety are basically no safer than anything else, because everything out there now has crumple zones and a gazillion airbags and all that crap. They're not allowed to sell the junk they used to in the 80s when we saw daewoos and yugos etc. And a vehicle that employs electric motors for a drivetrain sure isn't using viscous couplings (which is what drives Subaru's "symmertical" AWD).

 

And styling certainly not. I love my 17 year old subaru, but the new ones coming out are very ho-hum (just like every new car out there, nothing personal against subaru). If for some reason hell froze over and I decided to buy an electric vehicle one day, that would mean I have given up and at that point price/economy would literally be the only driving factor. The reason I like the Subaru I have now and the ones I have in the past is specifically the boxer engine and the way Subaru does its AWD system, both of which would be gone when switching to an EV...

Edited by RecklessWOT
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  • 2 weeks later...
  • 4 weeks later...

Let's hope it's not ugly like most of the EV's out there. I think most people would be open to buying if they weren't so freaking ugly.

 

I see Honda has a concept that looks like a Civic Hatch from the early 1980's, I had a 82 Civic FE back then.

 

VW seems to have a good looking concept for it's big SUV. It looks like the normal Tiguan https://www.detroitnews.com/story/business/autos/foreign/2021/05/11/vw-new-tiguan-shows-steep-climb-ahead-evs-like-id-4/5018002001/

305,600miles 5/2012 ej257 short block, 8/2011 installed VF52 turbo, @20.8psi, 280whp, 300ftlbs. (SOLD).  CHECK your oil, these cars use it.

 

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I wonder what the aftermarket scene on electric cars is going to look like. More powerful aftermarket electric motors you can drop in?

 

Nah, it's all gonna be software. I severely doubt people will be swapping electric motors. Factory produced EVs are basically game over for the aftermarket world. Just run what you bought, maybe slap on some stickers and LEDs from the ricer aisle at pep boys, that's as far as it'll go. One of the many reasons most people are still very much against EVs. They're great for commuters, anyone who has a breath of car enthusiast in their soul should know to stay away...

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Tax incentives must have played a big role there. I remember back in 2010 when a brand new outback diesel cost like $90-100K or more I think. I recall about half of the car's cost there is purely taxes, and increases quickly depending on the amount of CO2 it emits, the amount of HP, the curb weight, engine size and so on. Crazy. There is a reason why they almost never sold the WRX/STI over there even though the Subaru brand is pretty big in Norway.

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Tax incentives must have played a big role there. I remember back in 2010 when a brand new outback diesel cost like $90-100K or more I think. I recall about half of the car's cost there is purely taxes, and increases quickly depending on the amount of CO2 it emits, the amount of HP, the curb weight, engine size and so on. Crazy. There is a reason why they almost never sold the WRX/STI over there even though the Subaru brand is pretty big in Norway.

 

Once the script is flipped, they are going to have to do away with the tax breaks for electric; still need to collect the money from someone...

 

Also, it's a small market: "New car sales in the country last year were 141,412, of which 76,789 were fully electric."

By comparison the US new car sales market in 2020 was 14-15 million... or 100x

Edited by Infosecdad
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Tax incentives must have played a big role there. I remember back in 2010 when a brand new outback diesel cost like $90-100K or more I think. I recall about half of the car's cost there is purely taxes, and increases quickly depending on the amount of CO2 it emits, the amount of HP, the curb weight, engine size and so on. Crazy. There is a reason why they almost never sold the WRX/STI over there even though the Subaru brand is pretty big in Norway.

Norway - where everything is expensive.

 

 

I think that there was a close call between Tokyo and Oslo as the most expensive city in the world at one time.

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  • 3 weeks later...

I agree, I don't like SUV's that have that cut down rear roof line past the C pillar. It's takes away from the classic lines like the Assent has and useful space for items.

 

I like the look of the VW Tiguan and others with that more squared off rear. To bad it looks like VW will not bring the Tiguan EV to the US.

305,600miles 5/2012 ej257 short block, 8/2011 installed VF52 turbo, @20.8psi, 280whp, 300ftlbs. (SOLD).  CHECK your oil, these cars use it.

 

Engine Build - Click Here

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  • 5 weeks later...

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