Quick Highlights:
- Subaru trademarks three new names: ZPX, VPX, and ACX
- Each linked to electric vehicles with potential full-model use
- STI and Wilderness variants also trademarked (Note: STI for all three, Wilderness only for ZPX)
- Signals a radical rethink of Subaru’s EV branding approach
A New Language for a New Era
Subaru might be preparing to break from tradition in a big way.
While most automakers lean on legacy nameplates to usher in their electric lineups, Subaru is going in the opposite direction. Instead of reinventing familiar badges, it’s trademarking entirely new ones—ZPX, VPX, and ACX—with no ties to its existing models.
(Subaru has historically leaned on evocative, nature-inspired names like Forester, Outback, and Impreza—so this jump to cryptic letter codes marks a notable departure.)
The filings, submitted to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, are for use on electric vehicles and structural components. That alone suggests these aren’t just trims or concepts—they could be full production models in the pipeline.
And they aren’t arriving alone.
More Than Just New Names
Each of the three—ZPX, VPX, and ACX—is also registered with a performance-oriented STI variant.
(Clarification: All three names were also filed with STI variants, and the ZPX additionally with a Wilderness variant.)
That’s notable, especially considering how long the STI badge has been absent from U.S. showrooms. Subaru enthusiasts have been hoping for an electrified return of the brand’s sporty sub-brand, and this might finally be it.
(Subaru had previously also trademarked “STe,” which could suggest plans for an electrified STI badge—a further hint at their EV performance ambitions.)
But it doesn’t stop there.
The ZPX name was also filed with a Wilderness version, Subaru’s off-road trim that brings extra clearance, chunkier tires, and beefed-up styling. Currently found on models like the Outback and Forester, it’s never been applied to anything electric—until now.
The fact that one model can carry both STI and Wilderness designations hints at something entirely new: a performance-ready electric SUV with genuine off-road capabilities. It’s a combination we haven’t seen from Subaru—or anyone else.
Cracking the Code: Why These Names?
So, what do ZPX, VPX, and ACX actually mean?
Truthfully, we don’t know. They’re new, abstract, and intentionally vague. But that might be the point. These names move away from descriptors and into something more brandable, modular, and—perhaps—global.
It’s not the first time Subaru has played around with new labels. Over the past year, it has trademarked a dozen names, including “Trailhead,” “Getaway,” and “Viewfinder.” Only a few, like Uncharted, have made it into the real world.
The difference this time? The STI and Wilderness filings make it harder to dismiss these names as just legal placeholders. There’s real intent here—and possibly real products behind them.
What’s Left in Subaru’s EV Rollout?
Subaru has said it plans to offer four electric vehicles in the U.S. by the end of 2026. So far, we’ve seen three: the Solterra, the Uncharted, and the longer-range Trailseeker.
(That leaves room for at least one more EV—possibly even more if Subaru expands beyond its stated goal.)
These new trademarks could represent the final puzzle piece, or they might signal the start of an entirely new EV family. One aimed at different buyers, from off-road explorers to speed junkies to families needing three rows and all-wheel grip.
Subaru’s Identity Is Evolving
The brand has always gone its own way—boxer engines, symmetrical all-wheel drive, quirky design choices. It’s never really followed industry trends, and that’s what’s made it stand out.
Now, with electrification taking hold, Subaru seems to be leaning into that independence again. The move to cryptic names might seem odd at first, but in a world full of EVs called “EQ” and “ID,” it might be the smartest move of all.
These names may not stir nostalgia now, but if ZPX or VPX delivers the same thrill as a WRX or the utility of an Outback, they’ll earn their stripes soon enough.
Final Word
Subaru doesn’t just build cars. It builds cult followings. With these new EV nameplates, the brand appears poised to embark on a new chapter—one where STI performance, off-road capability, and electric power all converge in the same garage.
If the names are anything to go by, Subaru’s next move won’t just be electric. It’ll be unpredictable—and very fun to watch.
Source: US Patent & Trademark Office, Carscoops
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