In 2023, Subaru will unveil the brand's first electric SUV, the Solterra. Developed as part of a joint venture between Subaru and Toyota, the Japanese automaker is marketing it as a safe and versatile SUV.

The name Solterra is actually a Latin compound of the words sun (sol) and earth (terra). Clever naming aside, Subaru clearly points out in its press release that by working with Toyota, it will be able to combine its long experience in four-wheel drive with Toyota's electrification technology.

Subaru's push for electrification is not surprising. Governments around the world are pushing for electrification, many of them seeking to eliminate the internal combustion engine (ICE) altogether. In fact, a plan to ban ICE vehicles by 2035 is being considered in Japan, but resistance is strong. Regardless, this move is a necessary one if Subaru wants to continue selling in the U.S. and especially in parts of Europe.

Given that Tesla has a larger market capitalization than Ford, but produces six times fewer cars, any automaker would surely want to be a part of its success.

It is also not surprising that Subaru and Toyota collaborated on this project; the two companies jointly developed the GT86 and BR-Z twins in the late 2000s, giving driving enthusiasts a fun, affordable, and authentic wheel-drive sports car. And if the government is mandating that automakers convert to electric vehicles, why not work together again to split the development costs?

The teaser image above gives little away about the Solterra's appearance, but it has a very similar profile to Toyota's bZ4X concept. Frankly, it would not be at all surprising if the two cars ended up looking remarkably similar, just like the "Toyobaru" twins.

In any case, here is what we know so far about the Subaru Solterra.

Subaru has announced that the 2023 Solterra will go on sale in 2022. It will offer the vehicle in the U.S., Canada, China, Europe, and Japan.

Subaru has not announced the price of the Solterra, but we can make some guesses. Among Japanese automakers, Subaru vehicles generally tend to be priced a bit higher. This is not only due to production issues; Subaru not only does not manufacture and market on the scale of Honda and Toyota, but also tends to focus on key areas such as all-wheel drive in a way that its competitors do not.

In any case, given the growing demand for batteries, the starting price for the Solterra is likely to be in the high $30,000s or low $40,000s.

The most expensive part of an electric vehicle is the battery pack. Some automakers, such as Mazda's MX-30, have opted for smaller batteries because most people do not routinely drive more than 130 miles. Tesla, on the other hand, is giving buyers a longer range option in order to alleviate concerns about range.

Anyway, Subaru has always marketed itself as an outdoors-oriented brand. In line with this, Subaru will likely put a huge battery under the Solterra. The Solterra's range is expected to be at least 300 miles. Anything less than that might turn off longtime Subaru fans.

Being a Subaru, one would expect a robust all-wheel drive system combined with advanced safety features. In a press release, the automaker states, "Subaru engineers worked to integrate the brand's all-wheel drive capability, superior driving dynamics, and world-leading passive safety into a versatile, EV-specific platform. The result is a technologically advanced, fully electric Subaru SUV that is truly high-performance and durable."