Subaru in the Hybrid market?

xanderphyxanderphy Member Posts: 1
edited March 2014 in Subaru
I recall reading an article stating that Subaru was making a hybrid engine that would be able to placed in even their older model cars. I also seem to remember hearing that you could possibly do it with hondas. Ive looked around for information on honda hybrid engines for older year civics but I havent found any great resources. I need a cheap alternative to buying a new car and I like a good project. I think if people could do an engine swap in their older year vehicles than perhaps hybrid engines would see a higher demand, not everybody that wants to help the enviroment and save money can afford a 20,000 dollar car. What do you guys know about this? any good resources or even buying options?

Comments

  • stevewastevewa Member Posts: 203
    Last report I saw was that Subaru was licensing from Toyota. Interesting question...will Subaru find a way to mate the Toyota system to their boxer engine or will they use an in-line model?
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    I find it unlikely that we'll see any retrofit kits. Hybrid powertrains are in such demand there are wait lists, and manufacturers can make bigger profits selling whole cars.

    Just don't hold your breath, put it that way.

    Subaru showed the B9SC concept last year, and that was basically a hybrid with the 2.0l WRX engine. But the announcement to partner with Toyota came later, so who knows?

    I suspect Toyota wanted the partnership to get help with battery supply from FHI, Subaru's parent company. If so this could be win-win.

    -juice
  • jlevy1jlevy1 Member Posts: 1
    Is Subaru coming out with a Hybrid in the next few month? If so what are the specs?
    I own a Subaru Outback the LLBean Edition, I have been having lots of trouble lately with it. I may be looking at new cars, however, I want a Hybrid.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Ok, we did get an update, basically the B9SC idea was scrapped as too expensive. That one was supposed to be able to power the car on battery power alone up to 50mph, so you can imagine why. They ditched it.

    The deal with Toyota doesn't seem to be progressing, either.

    Instead, it looks like Subaru will work with NEC to obtain battery technology, and go at it themselves.

    There was a press release to that effect, anyone have a link handy?

    -juice
  • PF_FlyerPF_Flyer Member Posts: 9,372
    This the one you're thinking of?

    Subaru Announces Development of Turbo Parallel Hybrid and Lithium-Ion Capacitor Technologies
    http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/09-07-2005/00041023- 86&EDATE=
  • zacharyazacharya Member Posts: 71
    This is quite interesting. As you know GM has a stake in Subaru, so hopefully this technology will eventually trickle down to their cars. I don't see any decent hybrids on the horizon coming from GM.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Yep, thanks.

    Turbo parallel hybrid sounds nice, but the turbo engine might require premium fuel and that would be a HUGE mistake for the type of consumer that would be interested.

    Seriously, I think it could kill it in the market place if premium fuel is required. These people want low fuel costs, first and foremost.

    -juice
  • SylviaSylvia Member Posts: 1,636
    Subaru has had the R1 and R2 660cc micro cars on sale in Japan for a couple of years now, and there have been reported sightings of these little cars running around SOA's Cherry Hill, NJ headquarters. So it's not a secret that these cars are under consideration for possible sale here. What's new here is that SOA may also be considering the R1e for sale here. The "e" is for "electric."

    See the photos and comment about this in the Straightline blog at http://blogs.edmunds.com/.ee8d9e8
  • yerth10yerth10 Member Posts: 431
    First let Subaru sell the gasoline only version, once if people get used to it, then they can launch the electric version.

    But hybrid, followed by plugin-hybrid will alway be the best option.
  • rshollandrsholland Member Posts: 19,788
    If they sold an R1h (hybrid), you might have to add some "Stabile" fuel additive to keep the gas from going stale in the tank (like what you do with lawnmowers), as one tankful might last you 6 months or more. :)

    Bob
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Market the hybrid if it could take the "most efficient" crown from the Insight/Prius. There's a big PR value to that.

    Toyota might not allow that, though.

    -juice
This discussion has been closed.