Japan's Subaru to build its first electric vehicle factory

FILE PHOTO: The logo of Subaru Corp. is pictured at the 45th Tokyo Motor Show in Tokyo, Japan October 25, 2017. REUTERS/Toru Hanai

TOKYO (Reuters) -Subaru Corp aims to build a dedicated electric vehicle (EV) factory in Japan in the late 2020s, it said on Thursday, as part of a $1.9 billion ramp-up to respond to surging demand for battery cars in its main North American market.

Subaru, known for its Outback crossover, has long had a strong presence in the United States and on Thursday warned that its U.S. dealers only have a record low stockpile of around 5,000 vehicles left, reflecting the squeeze of a supply-chain crunch.