Subaru reportedly has plans to launch an electric crossover vehicle at around the turn of the decade, according to Japan’s business and technology daily newspaper, the Nikkan Kogyo Shimbun.
Although the newspaper did not identify sources, it says the all-new crossover would be built on the new global platform that Subaru introduced earlier this year. The new platform will be the base for every new Subaru, starting with the new Impreza compact, and it is flexible to accommodate internal combustion engines, electric motors and any combination of those two. And since it’s a Subaru, it’s a given that it is meant for all-wheel drive configurations.
Asked for comment by Automotive News, company spokesman Masato Saito said the company has not made any decisions on an electric, all-wheel drive vehicle. However, he said that if the company did decide to introduce such a product, it would likely use the new platform and target the North American market.
We read that as “it’s coming but we’re not ready to make an announcement. We can’t believe word leaked out.”
Subaru’s lineup is heavy on all-wheel drive, literally, so the company is looking at alternatives to try and enhance its fuel economy especially in places like North America and Europe, which have been steadfastly imposing increasingly stringent fuel efficiency regulations.
The company has already committed to marketing a plug-in hybrid for 2018, though it is not yet confirmed if that will be a version of a current model. Speculation is that it will be a Crosstrek.