2022 Subaru Solterra EV unveiled; showcased in new walk around

March 2024: Solterra driven in Australia

It’s Subaru’s first EV and its most expensive model, but can the Solterra trouble big-name rivals that include the Tesla Model Y?

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November 2022: Subaru's first dedicated electric vehicle has been unveiled, with the covers finally coming off the Solterra in Japan.

Developed as part of a joint venture with Toyota's BZ4X, the Subaru offers features which are identical to its cross-engineered cousin – with a choice of front and all-wheel drive power delivery available.

In fact, the addition of front-wheel drive to the Subaru line-up makes the Solterra its first FWD since the late-1990s' Liberty, and only the second two-wheel-drive offering from the manufacturer this decade after the BRZ – also developed alongside Toyota's 86.

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In the case of the front-wheel-drive Solterra, a single electric motor on the front axle provides 150kW, while the all-wheel-drive variant makes use of two 80kW motors, one for each axle, to develop a total of 160kW.

Battery capacity stands at 71.4kWh for both variants, while the lighter, front-wheel-drive enjoys around 530 kilometres of driving range – around 40 kilometres more than the AWD version.

While the AC charger has a maximum output of 6.6kW, the DC fast-charger's 150kW output will allow the battery to be taken from a 0-80 per cent state of charge in roughly 30 minutes.

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Exterior dimensions remain identical to the BZ4X – 4690mm in length, 1860mm wide and 1650mm tall with a 2850mm wheelbase – making it larger than the Forester, but shorter, thinner and lower than the Outback.

Tipping the scales at 1930kg in single motor guise and 2020kg when equiped with dual motors, Subaru hasn't provided a weight difference between Solterras equipped with a fixed, panoramic glass or solar roof, with the latter option featuring the ability to provide a small charge to the battery pack.

Subaru's design language is prominent at the front of the Solterra with its grille reflecting the other models in the manufacturer's line-up, while a choice of 18-inch or 20-inch (AWD only) wheels will set it apart from Toyota's offering.

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Thankfully the Solterra has ditched the BZ4X's 'yoke' steering device, instead opting for a mundane, but functional, wheel alongside a digital dash and horizontally-mounted infotainment screen.

Subaru has said the Solterra will launch internationally by the middle of 2022 for Japan, the United States, Canada, Europe and China – although Subaru Australia's general manager, Blair Read, says the local arm is talking with the global operations to assess whether it will be available here.

"The Solterra heralds a new era for the Subaru brand and its global reveal stirs great anticipation and excitement as we see the next expression of Subaru Corporation's commitment to electrification," said Read.

"Whilst Subaru Corporation are yet to confirm a timeline for the Solterra in Australia, we are working very closely and future electric projects form part of ongoing dialogue between Subaru Australia and the factory."