Founded in 1953 in Japan, Subaru is well-known for inventing the symmetrical all-wheel drive drive-train layout. Starting as Fuji Heavy Industries, the company initially manufactured aircraft during World War II. In 1946 they switched their name to the Fuji Sangyo Co and created a motorized scooter, the Fuji Rabbit. The name officially became Subaru in 1953, and it manufactured its first car in 1954.

The first automobile that Subaru made was the Subaru 1500, a compact sedan. Also known as the P-1, the vehicle was water-cooled and used two different 1.5-liter four-cylinder engines. Only 20 total P-1 vehicles were produced, most built for private use, while some went to taxi companies in several cities in Japan. Today, Subaru makes a variety of cars and SUVs: their current vehicle lineup includes the Impreza, BRZ, Legacy, Ascent, Crosstrek, and Crosstrek Hybrid. Subaru’s highest selling year was in 2019 when it sold 700,117 vehicles in the US alone.

Subaru recently announced the creation of a new manufacturing engineering office specifically for all-electric vehicles, including their newest EV, the 2023 Subaru Solterra. The company also intends to have 40% of its total global sales come from its EV line by 2030. Subaru also said that between 2030 to 2035, all of the vehicles they sell will be partially or fully electrified.