Subaru Announces Huge Expansion Plans With 4 New EVs By 2026

May. 14, 2023 3:12 PM ET by Jay Traugott Electric Vehicles / 3 Comments

The Solterra won't be its lone soldier for much longer.

Although it's late to the party, Subaru has confirmed plans to launch four new all-electric models by the end of 2026. The long-awaited news update comes directly from the Japanese automaker's soon-to-be-installed CEO Atsushi Osaki. All four of those EVs will be crossovers and will be sold in the US, alongside the already-on-sale Solterra, which is nothing more than a rebadged Toyota bZ4X.

Osaki also said the automaker aims to build 400,000 EVs annually beginning in 2028. This will be accomplished by adding a second EV assembly line in Japan. The new assembly line at the Oizumi plant will be dedicated solely to EV production and is currently aiming at a 2027 start date. That line alone will reportedly be capable of churning out 200,000 vehicles yearly.

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The Yajima plant will handle the other 200,000 EVs with a 2026 target production start date. The new CEO said all EVs would, initially, be built in Japan but did not explicitly rule out the automaker's sole US factory in Indiana in the future.

Pricing and other details regarding these new EV crossovers still remain under lock and key but Osaki did mention that a leasing program may be formed in order to take advantage of US government incentives better.

Outgoing CEO Tomomi Nakamura, however, is not at all concerned that Subaru's extremely loyal customers will be deterred if there are not enough incentives.

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"I wonder if American consumers choose their cars solely based on tax breaks," he told Automotive News. "Our US customers are quality customers. We have a higher ratio of customers buying Subarus with cash, and we also have low loan and lease rates. We also keep our incentives at low levels. We will try not to rely only on the subsidy program."

Before those EVs arrive, Subaru has plans to expand its hybrid lineup starting in 2025. Once again, Subaru will apply Toyota's hybrid system to its current crop of vehicles, such as the hot-selling Crosstrek, Forester, Impreza, and Outback. The WRX may also receive hybrid assistance.

Subaru very recently trademarked the STe nameplate, hinting at an all-electric WRX successor as well as what the future holds for the STI brand.