Subaru debuts in the 100% electric market with all the honors. The Solterra is your bet, a car that aims to make a difference with its competitors thanks, for example, to its remarkable off-road capabilities. With its new e-Subaru Global Platform dedicated to battery electric vehicles (BEV), the Japanese brand’s goal is to achieve superior passive safety and better vehicle stability, elements that are always present in its models.
With a length of 4.69m, width of 1.86m and height of 1.69m, the design of the Solterra reflects Subaru’s usual dynamism and strength, but enters a new dimension. It exhibits a stylized silhouette in which a seamless hexagonal grill stands out, typical of electric vehicles and whose shape has already become a distinctive sign of the brand.
In a side view, the horizontal axis that runs through the entire body can be seen, which, together with its forceful bumpers and wheel arches, reinforce the SUV character. The structure and the special design of the light assembly immediately identify it with a Subaru.
The interior blends driving pleasure and comfort behind the wheel. As a premise, a comfortable environment has been established in each of its seats. A 12.3-inch screen is located on the center console, all the controls are within the driver’s reach and the modular cockpit adapts to the needs of any user. The information that the driver receives is found on a 7-inch display located in the upper part of the dashboard and can be seen above the steering wheel.
The audio equipment has six speakers in the Trek versions, while the Touring finish has Harman/Kardon premium audio with a total of ten speakers, a subwoofer and an eight-channel amplifier. It also has type A and C USB ports, wireless smartphone connection and the Subaru Care app provides multiple functions such as managing the air conditioning from home, checking the battery charge status, etc.
The Solterra adopts a new 4×4 system that drives the front and rear wheels with independent motors. Its AWD technology offers an agile response by distributing drive force between the front and rear in a flexible way. It features the dual function X-MODE AWD control system (Snow/Dirt and Deep Snow/Mud) which has been greatly enhanced by the powerful torque and highly responsive capabilities of the two independent motors.
A new Grip Control function allows the vehicle to move forward at a constant speed while stabilizing it and allows for five levels (2, 4, 6, 8 or 10 km/h). Likewise, the driver can choose between three driving modes: Eco, Normal and Power, in addition to the possibility of adjusting the regenerative braking through paddles located behind the steering wheel (heatable in the Touring version). For its part, the S-Pedal allows you to accelerate or brake gradually, even allowing you to stop the vehicle without having to step on the brake pedal.
The Subaru Solterra has two electric motors of 109 hp each, 218 hp and 337 Nm in total, which provide a range of up to 466 km in combined cycle and 610 km in urban (WLTP). The 96-cell lithium-ion battery has 71.4 kWh of capacity; recharging is through alternating current, which can be done at a maximum of 6.6 kW and with continuous current of 150 kW, charging to 80% in 17 minutes. The battery is designed to maintain at least 90% capacity for the first ten years of the vehicle.
To protect the battery and cooling system in the event of a collision, safety features such as power shutdown and battery coolant leak protection, as well as heavy-duty bodywork, have been incorporated.
The security systems use a wide-angle monocular camera with a high-resolution sensor and forward-facing millimeter-wave radar to detect everything happening in front of the vehicle. To offer safer driving, the Solterra equips dynamic cruise control, lane departure alert, Proactive Driving Assist, emergency braking system, traffic sign recognition, rear traffic detection sensor, adaptive high beam system , blind spot monitor and side traffic detection. In the event of an accident, the structure transfers the load to various bodily skeletons, efficiently absorbing the energy of the collision.
The driving of the Subaru Solterra is optimal on all types of terrain. The driver enjoys excellent visibility, despite the low center of gravity and high rigidity of the Subaru Global Platform, which enables high performance, even off road. Off-road driving offers great possibilities, thanks to the 21 cm minimum ground clearance, in addition to favorable body angles (18º attack, 18º ventral and 25º exit).
