- The new model will be built in Japan with up to 20,000 units manufactured monthly.
- Subaru is collaborating with Toyota on several new electric SUVs.
- Another new EV thought to be in the works is a three-row crossover.
The Toyota bZ4X and Subaru Solterra twins will reportedly welcome a new member to the respective brands’ EV families in the form of a jointly-developed SUV that’s set to launch in 2026.
Few details about this new EV are known, but it will reportedly incorporate parts from the bZ4X as well as other Toyota models in a bid to keep costs down. A report out of Japan claims production will be handled by Subaru’s Yajima plant in the Japanese prefecture of Gunma and that between 15,000 and 20,000 units could be manufactured each month.
Read: Subaru Teams Up With Toyota For 3 New Electric SUVs By 2026
The new Toyota and Subaru models are expected to target the North American, European, and Japanese markets. There’s a good chance that just like the Subaru Solterra and Toyota bZ4X, as well as the Toyota GR 86 and Subaru BRZ, the new EVs could look virtually identical and may only have a few minor visual differences.
Earlier this year, Subaru confirmed it would launch three fully electric SUVs co-developed with Toyota by the end of 2026 and a further four by the end of 2028. It’s unclear how large the model to be manufactured in Yajima will be, but we do know that one of the others is tipped to be a three-row electric crossover that will be built in the US. Initially, this new model was expected to start production next year, but Nikkei Asia says it’s been delayed to allow for design changes.
Subaru has ambitious EV plans. It wants electric vehicles to account for 50% of its global sales in the future but in 2023, the Solterra – its only EV – accounted for just 0.02% of total sales. Evidently, the brand has a long way to go to achieve its goals and the only way to come close is to launch a slew of compelling new models that’ll convince buyers an EV is the way to go.
While speaking about Subaru’s partnership with Toyota on EVs in May, chief executive Atsushi Osaki said that “through this approach of joint development, joint production and joint supply, we will ensure flexibility in the areas of development and production while mitigating risks with Toyota Motor Corp. at a time when it is difficult to clearly predict future trends.”
