Yamaha to supply electric motors for new Subaru STI E-RA 1073 bhp track weapon

As Subaru reveals its new all-electric track weapon - the STI E-RA - at the 2022 Tokyo Auto Salon, Yamaha announces that it will supply the electric motor units that will be developed for use in future motorsport. 

In a press release, Yamaha says these motors “were developed to be ‘emotional electric engines’ that leverage the technologies and engineering sense we have garnered via our engine development to date.”

Looking at the Subaru STI E-RA concept, the all-wheel-drive racer will make use of four motors (one on each wheel) with a ludicrous 1073 bhp on tap. The AWD motive draws on the Japanese marque’s ‘all-wheel control legacy’ from two decades of racing in the top tier of global rally championships with the Legacy and Impreza - you may have heard of them. 

Whilst the STI E-RA is destined for the Nurburgring, the experience gained will see tech trickle down to production models, with the aim of "gaining experience and training of new technologies in the world of motorsports in this carbon-neutral era focused on combating global warming".   

The knowledge gained here will also benefit Yamaha in the conquest to refine electric tech for motorcycle use, where a compact & light motor will be key for use on two wheels. You may know Yamaha develop a lot of motors for use outside of the motorcycling world, and in the press release they state:

“Further, thanks to our casting and machining technologies accrued through developing engines, the adoption of high-efficiency segment conductors and more, these units achieve high output while being compact in size.”

I think they should stick one of these motors in the Yamaha E01 electric scoot... about 268 bhp?!

It goes without saying that both Japanese manufacturers are keenly working on their future motors with an eye on the eco-friendly dates set for carbon-neutral transport and cleaner business practices. 

From the press release: “In July 2021, Yamaha Motor reviewed its Environmental Plan 2050 originally formulated in 2018, for the entire group, and set a new goal of aiming for carbon neutrality throughout all of its business activities — including across the lifecycles of its products — by 2050. 

“Among these changes, Yamaha Motor has set a goal of reducing Scope 3 CO2 emissions (emissions produced from the Company’s value chain, e.g., use of sold products) by 90% by 2050 compared to 2010, and the commissioned development of prototype electric motors is one of the Company’s initiatives toward achieving this goal.”

So as the Subaru STI E-RA continues development over 2022 - with the lofty goal set of a sub-6min40sec lap time around the Nurburgring, Yamaha will continue their work to ensure a ‘fully electrified society’ will be as efficient (and fast) as possible. 

The Subaru STI E-RA can be seen at the Tokyo Auto Salon, and you can probably get a peek of the Yamaha motor there too.

Sources: Yamaha, Subaru, Autocar

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