First Subaru Hybrid in 2012

Subaru will roll out the first hybrid vehicle in 2012, the company confirmed at the Tokyo Motor Show, which represents the first step towards a greener vehicle lineup that will meet more exigent emission regulations. Ikuo Mori, president of Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd., said the gasoline electric powertrain will be fitted on an existing model but hasn't provided specific details on which of the current vehicles are expected to be offered in electric version.

He suggested however that Subaru is considering bringing the hybrid flavor on a small car.

Subaru showcased at the Tokyo Motor Show the Hybrid Tourer, a model that might indeed enter mass production and be released as a final product in 2012.

The hybrid is using a Symmetrical AWD system inspired from the Subaru STELLA. It is powered by a two-motor hybrid drive, a power/drive motor in the front and a drive motor in the rear. The hybrid system is paired with Subaru's 2.0l horizontally-opposed Boxer engine, which works in combination with a Lineartronic transmission. Electricity for the vehicle and its two electric motors is sourced from a lithium-ion battery.

The new model displayed at the Tokyo Motor Show is using the EyeSight technology that allows the driver to be assisted with images from outside of the car. The images are obtained with the help of a stereo camera and a specialized 3D image processing engine, which act as pre-collision safety systems.

As said, there is no indication that the Hybrid Tourer showcased at Tokyo is indeed the model to be launched in 2011 (as model year 2012) but more information to put things straight is likely to surface soon.