Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd. the maker of Subaru automobiles today announced the successful development of its Subaru Plug-in Stella Concept model, a prototype electric vehicle (EV). The Subaru Plug-in STELLA Concept combines the EV system employed in the R1e with the mini car, Subaru Stella. The resulting vehicle represents an optimized model that features the compact packaging and superb utility that the Stella offers to meet a wider array of market needs. FHI plans to use the Plug-in Stella Concept in the development and test-marketing of the next generation of EV in Japan in the near future. Fuji Heavy Industries has placed emphasis on its mission to pursue the perfect integration of a pleasant and reliable driving with environmental considerations. While seamlessly improving the power units design and introducing such cleaner engines as the Horizontally-Opposed diesel engine in Europe (available since March of this year), the company has positioned EVs as another viable solution for environmental preservation, and it plans to accelerate its EV development work.

Fuji Heavy Industries will provide five units of the Plug-in Stella Concept for use at the Hokkaido Toyako Summit to be held July 7 through 9, 2008. In addition, Fuji Heavy Industries will provide one Stella Concept model to the Japan Post group for use in mail collection and delivery in the vicinity of Toyako during the summit.