Subaru is ditching the thrum of boxer engines for a whirr of electric motors with its first EV, the Solterra crossover.
The Solterra is expected to have a lot in common with the production version of the Toyota BZ4X, which is around the size of the RAV4.
But while the Toyota will arrive here as soon as the end of 2022, a local launch for the Solterra isn’t likely.
“The Subaru factory in Japan confirm that there is no timeline for the electric Solterra vehicle in Australia,” said a spokesperson for Subaru Australia.
“However, future electric vehicle projects form part of ongoing dialogue between Subaru Australia and the factory.”
Under the skin, the Solterra uses a dedicated electric car architecture co-developed with Toyota, although Subaru prefers refers to it as the e-Subaru Global Platform rather than e-TNGA.
Naturally the platform supports all-wheel drive, although Subaru has yet to reveal any details about the Solterra’s drivetrain.
Subaru Solterra 
Toyota BZ4X
Judging from the teaser images revealed overnight, the Solterra and BZ4X could be as closely related as the 86 and BRZ.
From what we can see, the two electric crossovers will share doors, as the side window graphics and wing mirrors seem to be identical.
Up front, the bonnets could well be interchangeable, while the headlight housings look to be the same shape, but the internal design is completely different.
At the rear there might be some differences around the design of the tail-lights.
According to Subaru, the name derives from the Latin words sol (sun) and terra (Earth), and represents the automaker’s “commitment to deliver traditional SUV capabilities in an environmentally responsible package”
The Solterra goes on sale in the Canada, China, Europe, Japan and the US in 2022.
