6.6.2019 Cologne. The Toyota Motor Corporation and Subaru Corporation have agreed on the joint development of a platform for battery-electric vehicles, as well as a C-Segment SUV model with electric drive for both brands.
The companies bring their respective Strengths to the collaboration: While Subaru brings to the table his many years of all-wheel drive expertise, and manages Toyota’s electrification technologies in order to organization the parts together, the same goals. In the new collaboration, the two partners the task is to develop attractive products with an appeal that can only offer vehicles with electric drive.
Since the first agreement on cooperation in 2005, Toyota and Subaru have deepened their cooperation in many fields, including development, production and sales. Examples of the success of the partnership is the joint development of the sports car Toyota GT86 and Subaru BRZ, as well as the launch of the Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid in the United States, in its Plug-in technology, the Hybrid Expertise of Toyota’s.
The automotive industry is in the midst of a fundamental change. Against the Background of diverse challenges in the areas of connectivity, Autonomous or supported new mobility Ride – and car-sharing services and electrified powertrains and components to drive the Subaru, and Toyota technical development in a wider range than ever before. The agreement announced today marks a new Era of cooperation.
The new cooperation focuses primarily on the urgent need for solutions in the field of electric drives and components. Here are significant regional differences in energy supply, environmental laws, infrastructure and market requirements. For the respective markets must therefore be developed quickly and efficiently matching products. For a successful commercialisation of battery electric vehicles, batteries with high capacity are also necessary.
The demand for batteries reached with the increasing prevalence of electric vehicles on a new Dimension. In addition, new marketing approaches are needed that take into account the actual use, the maximum range and the local charging infrastructure. These and other aspects of care for a variety of challenges in terms of cost, deployment, and Sales channels.
To be able To quickly to the different market needs and challenges to respond to the Conviction of Toyota and Subaru is a new business model is required. This must be connected via industrial boundaries with other instances that share the same goals. As a first step in this direction, both companies combine their respective Strengths to jointly develop a platform for battery-electric vehicles. This can be used as a Basis for different types of vehicles, including sedans and SUV models of the C – and D-segment, as well as for an efficient development of the model of derivatives use.
Note from Subaru:
As a result of this agreement with Toyota, Subaru will move its existing development resources in the area of electric vehicles in the new joint project. Within this new framework, Subaru wants to continue to work on the development of an attractive SUV model with electric drive for the Subaru customers and at the same time, efficiency in development, procurement and other areas to improve.
Toyota and Subaru are developing a platform for electric vehicles (photo: Toyota)
