As it enters an increasingly crowded battery-electric vehicle market, Subaru plans to take several steps to appeal to potential buyers, among other things offering up to 10 days of free loans of conventional gas-powered models.
The Japanese automaker’s new Solterra model will begin rolling into showrooms in the coming months and marks Subaru’s first entry into the BEV segment. The SUV is part of a joint venture with Toyota, which is selling a version of its own as the bZ4X. But production of both models will be limited this year, meaning potential customers may have to wait until 2023 to take delivery.
The 2023 Subaru Solterra will carry a base price of $46,220, including $1,225 in delivery fees, the automaker announced today. But with federal and state incentives, Subaru said, some buyers could pay as little as $35,000.
EV segment keeps growing
Subaru is just the latest entrant into the BEV market with the new Solterra. The compact crossover was developed as part of a 50/50 joint venture with Toyota — the two automakers previously partnering on a pair of sports cars, the Subaru BRZ and Toyota GR86. Solterra and the new bZ4X crossover will be produced together at Toyota’s Motomachi assembly line in Japan.
Solterra will be a “50-state car,” with at least small numbers shipped to dealers around the country — though demand is expected to be strongest in California, the country’s largest market for battery-electric vehicles.
Initial volumes will be limited, Subaru officials confirming plans to import just 6,500 through the end of 2022. Most have already been accounted for through advance orders, said Garrick Goh, the Solterra Car Line Planning manager, though some dealers may have a few available in the coming months.
The plan is to ramp up production of both the Subaru Solterra and the Toyota bZ4X during the 2023 calendar year — though officials would not indicate how much higher they hope to take production.
The two new battery-electric vehicles have much in common, including basic exterior and interior design details. But there are some powertrain differences. While the Toyota is available in both front- and all-wheel drive, the Solterra only will be offered in AWD. And it will use Subaru’s own symmetrical all-wheel-drive system with X-mode, technologies designed to give the BEV more capabilities in off-road situations.
Toyota’s base FWD version of the bZ4X starts at $42,000 before delivery fees, the AWD package climbing to $44,080. The 2023 Toyota bZ4X Limited, meanwhile, comes in at $46,700 in front-drive configuration the AWD model starting at $48,780.
Before factoring in that $1,225 delivery fee, the 2023 Subaru Solterra starts at $44,995, rising to $51,995 for the Touring package.
Differences between Subaru and Toyota models
Subaru adds several things to the package aiming to win over buyers — notably those worried about whether they can take a BEV on extended trips while the U.S. public charging network is still in its infancy.
Solterra buyers will qualify for 10 free days use of a loaner vehicle, such as the gas-powered Outback and Forrester models, noted Goh.
In addition, customers will get up to $400 in credits that can be applied either towards the cost of using the EVgo charging network or toward having a home charger installed by QMerit.
The 2023 Subaru Solterra lands amidst what is rapidly becoming the most crowded segment of the new BEV market, including compact crossovers like the Hyundai Ioniq 5, the Kia EV6, the Ford Mustang Mach-E and the Volkswagen ID.4. The best-selling product in the segment is the Tesla Model Y which currently starts at $62,990.
And the Tesla no longer qualifies for federal tax credits. Those incentives can climb as high as $7,500 for Subaru Solterra customers. In addition, buyers may be eligible for various state and other incentives, Goh noted.