Fuggin' finally. Hopefully they come up with something in those 8 new models considerably more compelling than the current singular option, which is the completely lackluster Solterra.
For all the noise they make on their bumpers on NPR about being "carbon neutral," or whatever the hell, they have certainly taken their sweet time in getting on the electric vehicle train. Given Subaru's track record (in North America, at least) of appealing squarely to the granola crowd, I always found this a little puzzling.
Time will tell if they keep this sensible, if they fall prey to trying to load their cars with all kinds of touch screen and subscription garbage. Subaru thinks they know what "consumers" want, I'm sure. Well, here's what I want: My current Crosstrek, exactly like it is, but with a decent electric powerplant in it and reasonably quick fast charging. That's it. Just like it is. Manual transmission and all, if I could get away with it. No 20" touch screen, no physical controls missing, no electronic parking brake, no app, no wi-fi, no bullshit.
Well some EV models do have free wheeling clutches. However that usually works with just two pedals. If you press neither "give me torque" (accelerator) or "give me negative torque" (brake), ECU orders a free wheeling clutch automatically open to remove the drag of spinning around the electric motor rotor. Atleast some Porches do this with their front axle on AWD cars for efficiency.
I guess nothing really would prevent doing it on main axle or both axles on AWD, except maybe reaction time. It takes that couple milliseconds for actuator to close the clutch/let the clutch close on biased closed system.