Subaru will be the first major car brand to offer only electric vehicles to European markets, removing its internal combustion engines from the continent.
Stricter European requirements prompted Subaru to reconsider where it puts its engineering money. The automaker plans to stop selling gasoline-powered cars in Europe by 2028, moving from its signature boxer engines to an all-electric lineup.
Here's what to know
Subaru's European lineup will consist of the Solterra, Uncharted, and E-Outback, according to a video from The Electric Viking. The phaseout will begin with the Outback wagon; the Impreza, Crosstrek, and Forester are scheduled to follow in 2027.
Keeping gasoline-powered models compliant is becoming harder for a company of Subaru's size to justify. The creator said Subaru pointed to tightening European pollution and driver-assistance requirements when explaining its decision to go fully electric in that market.
Subaru decided that redirecting development spending, rather than continuing to adapt gasoline models for European buyers, reflects a better approach towards the future. Subaru sells roughly 30,000 vehicles annually in Europe, compared with about 700,000 in the United States, according to the video.
The heavy restrictions and low sales volume make Europe the perfect test bed for the automaker.
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The announcement applies to Europe only. There are no current plans for Subaru to go fully electric globally.
More background
All-wheel-drive performance appears to remain a top priority. The fully electric transition is still a major shift for a brand known for boxer engines and rally racing.
A disguised Outback served as the demonstration vehicle for an electric platform Subaru developed in-house, according to The Electric Viking. The vehicle delivers about 509 horsepower (380 kilowatts) through all-wheel drive and can accelerate from 0 to approximately 62 mph (100 kph) in under four seconds.
The test vehicle reportedly weighs less than 4,409 pounds (2,000 kilograms). Those specifications describe a development vehicle, not the future showroom model.
"So, I think people don't realize that it's not the spec sheets that make a car really good. It's the engineering behind them," the creator said.
What's being done?
Subaru is developing its own motors, software, and battery technology with Panasonic. Vehicles using the new platform are reportedly expected around early 2029, with software intended to support over-the-air updates.
The creator described a battery that is 25% lighter and delivers 30% more efficiency.
For shoppers interested in supporting eco-friendly initiatives, Subaru may be the first of many automakers to go fully electric in Europe.
"Good chance Subaru will be my first full BEV," one commenter on the video wrote.
Where can I learn more?
Subaru's planned gasoline phaseout in Europe is one sign of how buyers and automakers are moving toward EVs. These stories examine Europe's EV sales, Volkswagen's production changes, fuel costs, and declining gas-only sales worldwide.
• In Europe, EVs have overtaken gas and diesel, leaving the United States trailing behind.
• In Germany, Volkswagen is cutting gas-car production shifts as entry-level EV orders overtake combustion models.
• Volkswagen's EV orders surpass gas orders in Germany, even as the company cuts extra shifts.
• Europe's cheaper EVs and smaller cars help explain its adoption advantage alongside high gasoline prices.
• Worldwide, gas-only cars now represent less than half of new sales as fuel prices rise.
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