Subaru Elten
| Subaru Elten | |
|---|---|
| Overview | |
| Manufacturer | Subaru |
| Body and chassis | |
| Class | City car |
| Body style | 4-door hatchback |
| Layout | Front-engine, front-wheel drive |
| Powertrain | |
| Engine | 658 cc I4 |
| Electric motor | 30 kW |
| Transmission | eCVT |
| Hybrid drivetrain | Parallel hybrid |
| Battery | Lithium manganese |
| Dimensions | |
| Wheelbase | 2,260 mm (89.0 in) |
| Length | 3,410 mm (134.3 in) |
| Width | 1,500 mm (59.1 in) |
| Height | 1,500 mm (59.1 in) |
| Curb weight | 960 kg (2,116 lb) |
The Subaru Elten was a concept hybrid 4WD hatchback designed by Subaru. It was introduced at the 1997 Tokyo Motor Show.[1] The name Elten was a contraction of 'electric' and 'K10' (development code for the Subaru 360).[2]
The Elten with one driver-side door and two passenger-side doors was a successor to the 360 in taking many design elements from that vehicle, including a similar grille and headlights. It was 3,410 mm (11 ft 2 in) long, 1,500 mm (4 ft 11 in) wide, 1,500 mm (4 ft 11 in) tall and had a 2,260 mm (7 ft 5 in) wheelbase. Its weight was 960 kg (2,120 lb). The design was later scrapped for a different model.[3][4]
In the front, the Subaru concept had a 4-cylinder, 658 cc gasoline engine producing 46 hp (34 kW) at 6,000 rpm and 5.8 kg⋅m (57 N⋅m; 42 lb⋅ft) at 3,600 rpm, and an electric motor with 30 kW and 3.9 kg⋅m (38 N⋅m; 28 lb⋅ft) at 7,500 rpm, combined through an eCVT transmission.[4] The batteries (a manganese-lithium battery and a condenser battery) were under the floor and were charged by the combustion engine, by regenerative braking and through solar panels on the roof.[2] The roof panels could charge enough energy in 3 hours to drive 67 km (42 mi).[5]
References
- ^ Torchinsky, Jason (23 October 2018). "Subaru Almost Jumped on the Retro Bandwagon Back in the Late '90s But Didn't". Jalopnik. Retrieved 30 July 2019.
- ^ a b "スバル エルテン" [Subaru Elten]. car-kobanashi.com (in Japanese). Retrieved 27 July 2025.
- ^ Dusil, Tomáš (30 October 2018). "Subaru chtělo využít retro módu, než byla in. Moderní 360 měla dokonce hybridní pohon" [Subaru wanted to capitalize on retro fashion before it was in. The modern 360 even had a hybrid drivetrain]. Auto.cz (in Czech). Retrieved 30 July 2019.
- ^ a b "Subaru Elten". tokyo-motorshow.com. Retrieved 27 July 2025.
- ^ 1997 Subaru Elten (360 Remake). youtube.com (in Japanese). 26 August 2020. Retrieved 27 July 2025.