Renewable Gossip

The new Subaru Hybrid Tourer Concept is cool—but Subaru fans are losing patience with the company’s hybrid promises.

Subaru Hybrid Tourer Concept

If ever there was an automotive brand that embodied the spirit of hybrid cars—urban, progressive, outdoorsy, family-oriented—it would be Subaru. Furthermore, Toyota, the hybrid leader, owns 16 percent of Fuji Heavy Industries, the maker of Subaru cars. Yet, loyal Subaru owners continue to wait in vain for the Japanese company, whose name translates to “unite,” to delivers on its promise to go hybrid.

In May 2009, Subaru announced plans to introduce a gas-electric hybrid car by 2012—but provided no details. Readers of this website responded with enthusiasm. Family Guy wrote, “I want it. My 2002 Outback will be 10 years old by 2012. Now, I can look forward to the possibility of replacing my Subaru with a hybrid from Subaru. Woo!” But others appeared tired of waiting. TS wrote, “We leased a 2005 Outback, hoping they’d have a hybrid by the time the lease was up. Didn’t happen. Too bad. Bought a Prius now. They missed a window.” William admonished Subaru, “Toe dipping in the hybrid pool is useless.”

Subaru continues to dip its toes—and retreat. A few years ago, the company unveiled the Subaru B5 TPH (for Turbo Parallel Hybrid) concept car—a sporty two-seat, all-wheel-drive grand tourer that blends elements of a coupe, sporty hatchback, and Outback sport-utility. The company has been testing its diminutive Subaru R1e all-electric two-seat city car in the US—and in August even managed to launch the R1e-derived Subaru Stella Plug-In in Japan. The tiny Stella employs a 9.2 kilowatt-hour, 346-volt lithium ion battery pack and 47-kilowatt motor to deliver a top speed of 60 mph and a driving range of about 50 miles. Unfortunately, the car sells for $48,000—minus Japanese government incentives of nearly $20,000. (Mitsubishi offers the all-electric i-MiEV at a similar price.) Subaru is producing merely 170 units of the Stella Plug-in, essentially a small test run.

Subaru Stella Plug-In

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Related posts:

1. Subaru Executive Confirms Hybrid Car Plans
2. Subaru Charges Into Electric Cars With Stella EV
3. Subaru Planning to Introduce a Hybrid in 2012
4. Tokyo Motor Show Preview: Gullwing Subaru Hybrid
5. Hybrid Subaru Impreza On The Horizon?