Subaru’s New 1,073 HP Electric Race Car Aims to Break Records
And it could soon outperform Tesla’s Model S Plaid in Nürburgring.
Japanese carmaker Subaru revealed its STI E-RA concept electric vehicle at this weekend’s Tokyo Auto Salon, a report from Engadget reveals. The race car will boast an output of 1,073 HP thanks to its four Yamaha motors.
The E-RA comes with a 60kWh battery meaning it likely won’t come with a world-beating range. However, Subaru hopes its new all-wheel-drive machine can excel on the race track. The car features GT-style, high-downforce composite bodywork with cutouts in the body to redirect air away from the wheel wells.
The Japanese automaker aims to set a record-breaking Nürburgring lap time of 6 minutes and 40 seconds by 2023. That would put it ahead of Tesla’s Model S Plaid, which completed the Nürburgring course in 7 minutes and 35 seconds. Before going to Nürburgring, Subaru will test the E-RA at Japanese racing circuits later this year.
‘Motorsports for the carbon-neutral era’
Subaru also revealed the Solterra STI Concept on the show floor, a sportier version of its new Solterra all-electric SUV, which was revealed in November last year. Though Subaru didn’t reveal much in the way of specifications, the new Solterra concept features a roof spoiler, under spoilers, and “other special parts on the exterior,” the company says.
In a press statement, Subaru says the two vehicles are part of its missions to gather “experience with new technologies in the world of motorsports for the carbon-neutral era.” Subaru has taken its time to get into the EV market compared to other automakers such as Mercedes, which recently revealed its Vision EQXX a solar roof concept with a 620-mile range at CES. GMC, meanwhile, recently began deliveries of its Hummer EV. So, while Subaru is gathering experience and aiming to hit a new record on the race track, it’s a little behind its competitors when it comes to delivering electric vehicles to the market.
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