Subaru New Zealand has confirmed its first production battery electric vehicle, the Solterra SUV, is coming to market in the first quarter of 2023, and says some loyal customers have already placed deposits without seeing or driving the new vehicle.
Subaru New Zealand managing director Wallis Dumper says two variants of the Solterra SUV will go on general sale in April 2023, as the brand celebrates 50 years of operation in the New Zealand.
The distributor revealed a left-hand-drive Solterra SUV to the market this week but says a right-hand-drive version will arrive in the country for a national dealer tour in October and November.
The right-hand-drive Solterra will also be on display at the Queenstown marathon later this year as well as the national House and Garden Tour which is sponsored by Subaru New Zealand.
The reveal vehicle sat on 20-inch alloy wheels, offering a high grade specification with a panoramic glass sunroof, leather upholstery, heated seats and steering wheel, and a large touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and QI wireless charging is also standard.
Dumper says the dealers have long since been fielding inquiries on the Solterra since it was announced internationally, and he believes it will also appeal to many people who have yet to engage with the brand.
While the final specification and price of the new Solterra variants is yet to be confirmed between the factory and the New Zealand distributor, Dumper believes that one model will come in under the current $80k threshold to receive a rebate under the Clean Car Discount.
Dumper notes that while many brands lead in with a sub-80k electric vehicle to capture the rebate, it is the more expensive models which are more popular with the buyer demographic.
In terms of size and footprint, the Solterra fits neatly between the current Subaru Forester and Subaru Outback models, and Dumper believes the new car will appeal to current owners of the former and latter.
Solterra Specification
Subaru New Zealand says the Solterra SUV has a ground clearance of 210mm and with its underbody protection and X-Mode all-wheel-drive system will deliver the same off-road abilities as its range of hybrid and petrol engine models.
“It is an all-electric Subaru SUV that does not compromise on the brand’s values,” Dumper says.
The all-wheel-drive Solterra will be powered by two 80kW electric motors sustained by a 71.4kWh traction battery which will offer a driving range in excess of 400km and will be able to fast charge from 10% to 80% in around 30 minutes.
Subaru reckons the 71.4kWh battery will retain 90% efficiency after ten years of service, and is offering an eight-year, 160,000km warranty on the Solterra SUV.
The car will offer a full suite of active and passive safety features including Subaru Safety Sense, a 360 degree camera, blind spot information system, rear cross traffic alert, and a safety exit alert.
Subaru Strategy
Dumper says Subaru Corporation in Japan has driven a stake into the ground by released an environmental policy statement in May which sets out the brands journey to a 90% reduction in carbon emissions by 2050.
“There is a short, medium, and long term electrification plan outlining Subaru’s contribution to decarbonising society,” Dumper says.
“We will see more hybrid and electric vehicles as the production of internal combustion engines (ICE) diminishes,” he says.
The first Subaru e-Boxer Hybrid launched into New Zealand in 2020, the first EV will launch in April 2023 and by 2030 more than 40% of Subaru production will be electric vehicles.
Subaru Corporation is investing $250 Billion Yen for electrification and will have a whole new factory with a dedicated EV production line by 2027 which Dumper notes is a significant move for a relatively small brand.
