What happened to us, man?... Toyota and Subaru announced a partnership to build electric SUVs. Together. Driven by already passed (and future projected) government mandates to fight climate change, electric vehicles (EVs) are expected to be the status quo rides of you later this century. So Subaru's taking care of the all-wheel-drive, and Toyota's got the electrification.
Surprised these two are behind in EVs?... We were too. The two Japanese carmakers are hugely dependent on the American market. Plus, they're surprisingly not leading in full-electric options. Here are more resumé bullets on the future partners:
- Subaru: The #1 choice for Sierra Club members who live within a Harry Potter audiobook's drive of a protected national seashore.
- Toyota: The most profitable car company in the world (by far), with the largest value by market cap, and the first to produce a hybrid car.
EVs need to adapt to American tastes... When it comes to cars, all 50 states are like Texas. They like 'em bigger. SUVs and trucks make up about 2/3 of new car sales in the US today. So Subaru and Toyota are matching present wants with future needs. They're sharing engineers and R&D centers to produce the skeletons of electric SUVs together.