Subaru Stella Plug-in Electric Car (EV)

It might have an odd name, and one that makes you think of a certain amber coloured refreshment rather than a car, but odd name or not, the Subaru Stella Plug-in Electric car has gone on sale in Japan today, with first deliveries expected in July.

Not designed to be anything other than a city car, the Subaru Stella has a range of around 55 miles on a full charge of its Li-ion batteries, which can be charged in about five hours from a standard socket (or in 15 minutes from a quick-charge outlet), and a has top speed of 62mph – so it really is a city-only car.

Based on Subaru’s existing Stella mini-car the Stella EV is powered by a 60bhp (47kw) electric motor that delivers 125lb/ft of torque from the off. It also incorporates a regeneration system that tops up the batteries during deceleration to help the range.

But cheap it ain’t. Japanese list is about £30,000, which is a huge amount of money for a little car. But Japanese Government subsidies for zero emission cars (at the point of delivery) rebate around £9,000, meaning the car will come in at a little over £20k.

Subaru don’t have huge expectations for the Subaru Stella EV, with a target of just 170 sales in the coming year.