With the second-gen BRZ/GR86 close to market, the Toyaburu partnership is looking to expand their relationship. While their initial venture, a brand-new rear-drive sports coupe, was a welcome look to the past, their new one has its sights set solely on the future.
With battery-electric being the (foreseeable) future of cars, the two companies are joining up once again, this time for something a little less niche. Combining Toyota’s modular electric drivetrain with Subaru’s AWD expertise, they plan to offer a spacious, mainstream-ready SUV.
Given the ultra-catchy name bZ4X (Beyond Zero is the new line of BEV’s Toyota is planning), it promises to be a little bit more familiar than EVs from other manufacturers. Where some companies are looking to use electric cars to introduce new shapes and styling (like, say, the Mach-E), the bZ4X strongly resembles the globally=popular RAV4.
The Toyaburu Partnership Combines Toyota Budgets
With Subaru’s AWD
This is a smart idea, as mainstream acceptance of battery-powered cars grows. Early alt-fuel offerings benefited from unique styling. Think of how immediately recognizable the Prius is. But, as BEVs go mainstream, more and more buyers will be happy to buy something that looks typical, regardless of how it’s powered.
This is a great opportunity for Subaru, as well. As a small fish in a growing pond, their unique attribute (all-wheel all the time) is growing ever less unique. AWD on-demand is becoming more and more common, especially with the growth of SUVs and crossovers. And with the development costs of a new vehicle, to say nothing of a whole new propulsion system is cost-prohibitive to a company of their size.
By partnering with one of the big fish, in fact, the biggest, helps them offset those huge costs. It gives them access to the e-TNGA drivetrain that will underpin the next generation of electric Toyotas. In turn, Toyota gets access to Subarus symmetrical all-wheel-drive technology.
Details are still scant at this point. What we do know, however, is that the Toyaburu family looks like it will only continue to grow.
