Subaru and Panasonic signed a basic cooperative agreement to partner on electric automotive batteries, reported InsideEVs. The deal came out of interest on Subaru's part in Panasonic's high-capacity cylindrical batteries, which would be used to create new electric vehicle models.
Despite coming in late to the EV game, Subaru has big electrification plans for the future of its cars. InsideEVs reports that the company plans to increase its battery electric vehicle (BEV) share to 50% by 2030, meaning an estimated 600,000 of its total expected 1.2 million new vehicles will be electric.
"If Subaru can pull this off, it will go from being almost a non-entity in the EV space to one with many more electric offerings for future customers," InsideEVs stated, exemplifying the exciting potential of Subaru's early-stage deal with Panasonic.
Car companies like Subaru are taking steps to electrify cars, which will benefit individual drivers. For starters, driving electric cars is cheaper than driving gasoline-powered cars. A report from the NRDC found that "the average cost to fuel an electric car was $485 a year, compared to $1,117 for a gas-powered vehicle."
Along with saving people money, companies that increase their EV production will help to make the cars more affordable and accessible over time. The more people driving EVs, the less pollution from the transportation sector, which accounts for a massive 28% of all planet-warming pollution by the economic sector in the United States, as per the EPA.
Subaru isn't the only big company taking eco-friendly initiatives to the next level. On the topic of EVs, General Motors and Ford recently adopted Tesla's EV chargers, meaning that they can use Tesla's Superchargers despite not being Tesla cars. This will enhance charging accessibility for EV drivers.
Tesla was also in the news recently when Queensland, Australia, began offering rebates to customers who purchased the Tesla PowerWall, an integrated battery system that makes managing on-site solar panels easier.
In a joint statement published when the basic cooperative agreement was signed, Subaru and Panasonic stated, "Through the agreement, both companies reaffirm their commitment to contributing jointly to the revolution of various societal challenges, such as achieving a carbon-neutral society, promoting sustainable growth within the automotive and battery sectors, supporting local employment, and developing human resources."
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