Subaru to launch eight new EVs by 2028

Subaru has announced it will launch eight new battery-electric vehicles by 2028 as the Japanese car-maker aims to sell 600,000 EVs a year by 2030.

Originally, Subaru had planned to introduce four global EVs by 2026, but under revised plans set out by new CEO Atsushi Osaki, the Japanese car-maker will now double that to eight, allowing an extra two years – to 2028 – to get the job done.

The rollout will include the new Subaru Solterra that’s due to launch in Australia soon as the brand’s first EV in this market.

Other models will similarly be based on the e-Subaru Global Platform designed for a range of electric vehicles across passenger car and SUV segments.

Subaru is expected to mirror other brands such as Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz in spinning off new body styles alongside existing model lines, such as coupe-style SUVs.

According to Osaki, rapid rising demand for EVs in the US is a prime motivating factor, with the new boss setting a mid-term annual target of 400,000 EV sales in that market alone.

To reach its goals, Subaru has confirmed that by 2025 in Japan it will be able to produce 200,000 EVs a year and that come 2027 it will have doubled that capacity.

Helping it get there, Subaru has inked a new deal with Panasonic for its next-generation cylindrical batteries that will power a still-to-be-named Subaru-branded EV that will go on sale overseas in the final quarter.

Panasonic already makes batteries for Tesla and is in discussions for supplier deals to Mazda, BMW and the Stellantis group.

Meanwhile, Subaru has today announced that it has sold more than 600,000 SUVs in Australia, which coincides with the company’s 50th year on operation in this country.

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