I've been considering an electric vehicle for awhile now as my wife does a ton of local driving and I've also been considering a solar system for the house and an electric vehicle seems like a good match to that. What are people's thoughts on the Subaru's electric SUV the 2025 Solterra? I would LOVE Will to do a review/commentary on one!
What are people's thoughts on the Subaru's electric SUV the 2025 Solterra?
- Thread starter Jysttic
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Solterra has mediocre range which is why I didn't seriously consider it.
If you get cold winters, your range will be further reduced, so take that into account.
To go big, the 3 row EVs from Kia/Hyundai look interesting, but more $$$. To go small, the Chevy Equinox EV looks decent for a small car and good range. Doesn't charge fast but if you do home charging all the time, that's no issue.
I drive an Ioniq 5 and it is very nice. My RWD model gets ~300 miles range under ideal conditions, 250 is more typical.
Mike C.
If you get cold winters, your range will be further reduced, so take that into account.
To go big, the 3 row EVs from Kia/Hyundai look interesting, but more $$$. To go small, the Chevy Equinox EV looks decent for a small car and good range. Doesn't charge fast but if you do home charging all the time, that's no issue.
I drive an Ioniq 5 and it is very nice. My RWD model gets ~300 miles range under ideal conditions, 250 is more typical.
Mike C.
400bird
Solar Wizard
If you don't ever want to make 150+ mile drives with it, it would probably be fine.
If you don't need AWD you're taking a range hit for it.
It also doesn't fast charge very quick. In normal daily use that's not a factor, but for a longer drive it makes all the difference.
I've got a 2018 Bolt (250 ish mile range) so I've got some experience with basic EV's. We use this thing for about 98% of our driving, just charging slowly overnight at home. It is absolutely wonderful for this. I may dis on the Bolt and question the Subaru, but if you're not regularly making long drives a basic EV is wonderful, I'm never looking back.
Only once or twice a year does the slow charging and range limit us or make us drive the other car.
I'll make a trip with a single charge stop with the Bolt, but two charging stops and we'll take something else and make multiple fill ups as the gas station. The Bolt just charges too slow.
The Ionic mentioned above may be our next purchase. 300+ mile range, 3.5x (of the Subaru, 7x the Bolt) the charging rate really helps make charging stops a lot closer to old fashioned fuel stops.
If you don't need AWD you're taking a range hit for it.
It also doesn't fast charge very quick. In normal daily use that's not a factor, but for a longer drive it makes all the difference.
I've got a 2018 Bolt (250 ish mile range) so I've got some experience with basic EV's. We use this thing for about 98% of our driving, just charging slowly overnight at home. It is absolutely wonderful for this. I may dis on the Bolt and question the Subaru, but if you're not regularly making long drives a basic EV is wonderful, I'm never looking back.
Only once or twice a year does the slow charging and range limit us or make us drive the other car.
I'll make a trip with a single charge stop with the Bolt, but two charging stops and we'll take something else and make multiple fill ups as the gas station. The Bolt just charges too slow.
The Ionic mentioned above may be our next purchase. 300+ mile range, 3.5x (of the Subaru, 7x the Bolt) the charging rate really helps make charging stops a lot closer to old fashioned fuel stops.
Up to 227 miles is mostly great but may come up short at times. Assuming L2 will be available at home Solterra will be great around town. Trouble is I see Subaru as a bit of an adventure vehicle and people may want to use it to get to remote areas where range and charging could be limiting. Otherwise test drive it and see. I have not driven one or even seen one yet.
Hedges
I See Electromagnetic Fields!
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I considered it when I saw Hertz 8k mile for $25k, then a privately owned one 2k miles for $25k.
It would work for the locations I drive to around the Bay Area and I could charge from home PV.
But then I priced out insurance (increase from my 25 year old beater Civic), sales tax, and annual registration (increase also compare to same car.) I think it was going to cost me $12k additional over the next decade. Completely negating any anticipated savings on gas costs.
Note that there is a Toyota sister car, so consider both when shopping.
Ioniq is also an attractive bargain. Apparently a small number of the "Sport" version are out there, those having LiFePO4. About 3/4 the range but could have double (?) the cycle life maybe? Haven't seen any for sale.
Hybrid is what I really want, backup plan if charging unavailable.
But pure electric would be great as one of multiple vehicles.
It would work for the locations I drive to around the Bay Area and I could charge from home PV.
But then I priced out insurance (increase from my 25 year old beater Civic), sales tax, and annual registration (increase also compare to same car.) I think it was going to cost me $12k additional over the next decade. Completely negating any anticipated savings on gas costs.
Note that there is a Toyota sister car, so consider both when shopping.
Ioniq is also an attractive bargain. Apparently a small number of the "Sport" version are out there, those having LiFePO4. About 3/4 the range but could have double (?) the cycle life maybe? Haven't seen any for sale.
Hybrid is what I really want, backup plan if charging unavailable.
But pure electric would be great as one of multiple vehicles.
sunshine_eggo
Victron's little biatch
Opinion: Subaru is overpriced poo.
400bird
Solar Wizard
I made good money doing head gaskets and timing belts on Subarus for quite a while. I don't hate them, they helped buy my house.
sunshine_eggo
Victron's little biatch
I made good money doing head gaskets and timing belts on Subarus for quite a while. I don't hate them, they helped buy my house.
LOL... Statistically, they had to be good for SOMEBODY. Glad it was you.
My neighbor has one, and I don't remember the details, but apparently replacing the cabin air filter on his model is a major fricken deal... at least relative to the 30 second procedure on his wife's '07 Prius.
I made good money doing head gaskets and timing belts on Subarus for quite a while. I don't hate them, they helped buy my house.
Yep basically built on the Toyota BZ4X platform.
The Subie does get dual motors so it is AWD, some think it is a compliance car. If it fits a persons needs and they like it after a test drive, and the price is right it might be their cup of tea.
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wattmatters
Solar Wizard
It's a dud. Japan and European car makers are just way behind in the EV space and I doubt many will survive the next decade.
Subaru went downhill fast once Toyota took a major ownership stake and have applied the bland sauce ever since.
Subaru went downhill fast once Toyota took a major ownership stake and have applied the bland sauce ever since.
Those engines always sound like one of the four cylinders is misfiring, especially the fart can equipped ones.
darrell2002
New Member
I have 2 Evs and love them, but note that advertised range and highway range are not the same thing. Expect about a 15% reduction in highway range compared to advertised under ideal conditions. It will drop a lot if you are driving in rain, headwinds, up hills, at temperatures below 40°, etc. I would not buy an EV with less than 250mi range and less than 150kW dc charging if using it for long trips. It can be challenging to find properly operational chargers on long trips, but that should improve as the superchargers start to support other ev brands
CaliSunHarvester
Solar Wizard
I had a thought today. Most people here charge their battery banks from solar power at 0.1c to 0.2c
When I charge my EV (Solterra twin bz4X) which has a 71kWh battery...
Level 2:
32A @ 240V.. 7.6kW .. that's 0.1c rate
DC pulling 150kW (highest I got from a 350kW charger was around 90kW)
150kW/71kWh .. charge rate above 2.0c
I know.. different battery chemistry ..
My car's is not LFP.
CaliSunHarvester
Solar Wizard
So, I have the Toyota version of it, and Toyota offers it as AWD or FWD.
The AWD version has reduced range and also charges slower (at least in the 2024 model).
Toyota has a software limit for DC fast charging. You can do only 3 sessions a day (or 24h interval). This could be an issue if you want to drive 16 or 24h straight (2 drivers taking turns perhaps).
I have the FWD version and in regular driving, the car averages an incredible 5 miles/kWh. Highest range displayed was 284miles. However, on a road trip doing 80+mph, those numbers shrank by 15%.
Using the heater also costs 10%.
wattmatters
Solar Wizard
That's pretty crap. Often on highway trips you do multiple short top ups. e.g. we do it for toilet breaks / quick leg stretch.
CaliSunHarvester
Solar Wizard
Yes, that's why i mentioned it. I am not sure how it counts. E.g. I once charged for 20 minutes, disconnected, changed my mind, reconnected and charged 10 more minutes. Later I charged 2x more times within less than 24h. So, that was 4 times? Or 3? I have never been "denied", but I read about it online.
Might be better to skip the charging until below 30%. Lower the better. 'Topping Up' from 60% to 90% is inefficient (slower) and builds more heat.
Yes not always easy especially on a new route.
Yes and it is then natural for vehicles with less range and smaller battery to also charge slower.
The larger vehicles with 100+ kWh batteries are going to charge much faster.
Hedges
I See Electromagnetic Fields!
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I had a colleague who modified ECU code in his Subaru. Not downloaded some tuner, actually wrote the software himself.
I think he was pushing 600 HP and burning alcohol. Blew his engine.
The Solterra OP is interested in has neither head gasket nor timing belt.
Besides, it is a Toyota bZ4X by any other name. Would it smell as sweet to 400bird as Subaru?
Or at least, I think it is the 4WD version of the Toyota drivetrain, probably with Subaru trim.
Charge rate, we usually think of LiFePO4 as 1C discharge, 0.5C charge.
But at lower SoC and moderate temperatures, it supports 1.0C charge.
Expect similar for the other chemistries. Tesla pre-heats. Note manufacturer claims of fast charge are not to 100%, maybe to 80%.
So fast partial charge at SuperCharger stations could be fine.
0.1C at home seems ideal (if you have a low overnight rate.)
Those of us coming off net metering to Solar Billing Plan in California may want to do our charging during a morning couple hours, unless we charge a large ESS then discharge it into the EV later. Or charge on the weekends and have enough range for a week's commuting. That's only 500 cycles in a decade, something even AGM would have supported. Small battery EV and SE facing panels could be the economical approach, assuming we go to work late. Or two EVs, take alternating days. 1250 cycles to 1750 cycles in a decade.
I think he was pushing 600 HP and burning alcohol. Blew his engine.
The Solterra OP is interested in has neither head gasket nor timing belt.
Besides, it is a Toyota bZ4X by any other name. Would it smell as sweet to 400bird as Subaru?
Or at least, I think it is the 4WD version of the Toyota drivetrain, probably with Subaru trim.
2024 Subaru Solterra vs. Toyota bZ4X | Subaru
Compare a number of key features between the Subaru Solterra and the Toyota bZ4X, from charging times, to cabin room, price, and speed.
www.subaru.com
Charge rate, we usually think of LiFePO4 as 1C discharge, 0.5C charge.
But at lower SoC and moderate temperatures, it supports 1.0C charge.
Expect similar for the other chemistries. Tesla pre-heats. Note manufacturer claims of fast charge are not to 100%, maybe to 80%.
Since this topic is gaining interest again, here are a few more tables showing the same trend as the Ganfeng Datasheet for other manufacturers
CALB SE series datasheet is the clearest but least detailed (and doesn't acknowledge SOC):
ETC 228 is quite similar in presentation to Ganfeng, but min of 0*C and SOC doesn't appear too important:
Here is the Ganfeng table again for comparison (the only one shows that shows...
CALB SE series datasheet is the clearest but least detailed (and doesn't acknowledge SOC):
ETC 228 is quite similar in presentation to Ganfeng, but min of 0*C and SOC doesn't appear too important:
Here is the Ganfeng table again for comparison (the only one shows that shows...
So fast partial charge at SuperCharger stations could be fine.
0.1C at home seems ideal (if you have a low overnight rate.)
Those of us coming off net metering to Solar Billing Plan in California may want to do our charging during a morning couple hours, unless we charge a large ESS then discharge it into the EV later. Or charge on the weekends and have enough range for a week's commuting. That's only 500 cycles in a decade, something even AGM would have supported. Small battery EV and SE facing panels could be the economical approach, assuming we go to work late. Or two EVs, take alternating days. 1250 cycles to 1750 cycles in a decade.
Your first question should be why am I going to spend $75,000-$100,000 to go pick up groceries when I could just spend $5,000 on an older Toyota Corolla that can do the same thing very cheap.
I would rerun the calculator on how many years to pay for this venture on saved gas.
I would rerun the calculator on how many years to pay for this venture on saved gas.
Solterra starts at $38,495. That is actually lower than the average new car.
Of course an older EV will also be a lot less. Save on price and fuel.
CaliSunHarvester
Solar Wizard
The base bz4X was 27k with the 16k incentive.
wattmatters
Solar Wizard
Might be better to skip the Solterra and buy a better EV.
We charge where/when it is convenient for us, not the car.
My EV model costs less than a new Corolla and is a far nicer and much more fun car to drive and also costs a whole lot less to run/maintain. I'd expect used versions will have similar price tags.
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