- Subaru said it will debut its next electric model at the New York International Auto Show this month.
- It's called the Trailseeker, and that's about all we know so far.
- Subaru has said its next three EVs will be jointly developed with Toyota, just like the Solterra.
Subaru on Friday said its next electric SUV will be called the 2026 Trailseeker. It will debut at the New York International Auto Show this month.
And that's about all we know about this new model so far. A teaser photo of the Trailseeker's rear end doesn't tell us much.
What we do know is that Subaru could seriously use more electric vehicles in its stable. Like many Japanese auto brands, it's been lagging behind in the EV race thus far. Volkswagen sells a few EVs, the Hyundai Motor Group has a boatload and General Motors has a bunch too across many brands. Subaru sells just one: the Solterra, which is a rebadged version of the Toyota bZ4X.
And although the Solterra has received some improvements over time, its middling range and charging speeds have held it back. The Trailseeker could help level-up the brand's EV lineup.
Like the Solterra, the Trailseeker will be a product of Toyota and Subaru's partnership. Subaru said last year that its next three EVs would be co-developed with the automaker. After that, it plans to make four in-house EVs by 2028. It's possible that the Trailseeker could be Subaru's version of the new Toyota C-HR+, or another model entirely.
Subaru's next EV can't come soon enough. While the automaker has waited in the wings, California-based auto startup Rivian has made a name for itself as the go-to EV brand for outdoorsy people, Subaru's bread and butter. And its mass-market SUV, the $45,000 R2, arrives late next year.
Subaru had better start shoring up its defenses now.
Got a tip about the EV world? Contact the author: Tim.Levin@InsideEVs.com
