Subaru and its performance and motorsports division, Subaru Tecnica International (STI), has unveiled their fully electric concept vehicle called Electric Record Attempt or STI E-RA. The company intends to learn new electric propulsion technologies to prepare itself for an emission-free world of motorsports in the near-future.
The STI team will attempt to perform multiple electric vehicle record lap times in Japan this year, and then head to the famed Nurburgring in 2023 with a target lap time of 6 minutes and 40 seconds. The current record lap time (EV) is held by the Volkswagen ID.R electric concept machine, completing the 20.8 km ‘Nordschleife’ loop in 6 minutes and 5.336 seconds. Perhaps Subaru is trying to set a new record on the full 24-hour layout that is over 25 km, hence the additional 35 seconds longer lap time.
The STI E-RA has plans to have up to 1,088 hp (or 800 kW) and a new iteration of its famed all-wheel drive technology via a proprietary four-motor setup. For the motors, a high-torque high-revolution type with an integrated inverter and a gear for hyper EVs, which were developed and supplied by Yamaha Motor have been adopted. This motor is driven by a lithium-ion battery with a storage capacity of 60 kWh.
The four-motor four-wheel torque vectoring technology by Subaru and STI is said to independently apply the optimum drive torque to the four wheels as the load shifts, balancing the grip limit at each corner to deliver maximum grip and vehicle stability.
The company also plans to hone and fine tune the four-motor four-wheel torque vectoring technology as a key focus area as this has been included in the regulations for future motorsports such as FIA E-GT.
Alongside the STI E-RA at the 2022 Tokyo Auto Salon are the Solterra STI Concept as well as the WRX STI performance Concept vehicles. Cherry-red highlights on the bodykit is the key differentiator in this new generation of Subaru vehicles with STI parts.
GALLERY
