When Toyota acquired an 8.7% stake in Fuji Heavy Industries [FHI] from GM in 2005, everyone expected that FHI-owned Subaru would not only benefit from Toyota’s experience and economies of scale, but also utilize its new partner’s expertise on hybrid propulsion systems. This, however, does not seem to be the case as sources within Subaru have revealed that the company has decided to develop its own system and not adapt Toyota’s Hybrid Synergy Drive to work with its boxer engines.
Subaru is said to develop a completely new “mild” hybrid system similar to the one found in the Honda Insight and CR-Z, and which does not allow the car to move on electric power alone but assists the gasoline engine in reducing fuel consumption and CO2 emissions.
Back in 2009, Subaru had unveiled the Hybrid Tourer concept at the Tokyo Motor Show. The concept was powered by a turbocharged 2.0-liter flat-four and a twin electric motors, a solution that will likely find its way into production, but without the second electric motor that was used to power the rear wheels.
This new hybrid system will be fitted to a new model, which according to the same sources, will be launched in 2013. The most likely candidates to receive the system include a new version of the mid-size Legacy sedan, the Outback crossover version or the Forester SUV.
