Subaru Trailseeker is a 280kW electric Outback

New Trailseeker by Subaru is essentially an electric option to the Outback. The AWD lifestyle offroader offers over 400km of real-world range to a charge.

Trailseeker is Subaru’s first electric car it has developed by itself. Solterra was a joint effort with Toyota. That has just been facelifted, by the by, and both were on display at the recent New York motor show.

The new four-wheel drive estate features the same 211mm of ground clearance as the Solterra, with which it also shares a platform. 

Read our review of Enyaq vs Solterra.

It will go on sale next year in both the USA and Europe, though what name it ultimately uses in these markets is not yet clear. 

Inoue Masahiko, Subaru’s EV product manager, said the newcomer shares about 70 per cent Subaru parts and will be built at one of the firm’s factories. By contrast, Solterra is manufactured by Toyota.

Trailseeker features two 150kW motors, one for each axle. System output of 280kW imbues it with plenty of punch, evidently capable of hitting 96km/h in 4.4sec. Having the same power at each axle is said to make it easier to optimise all-wheel drive performance.

A 74.kWh lithium ion battery pack yields a range of a little over 400km (EPA test). It can recharge at up to 150kW, so a 10-80 per cent refill takes just over half an hour. 

Braked towing weight is a claimed 1588kg. There’s a range of drive modes too, including for snow and deep mud. A hill descent control system may come in handy. Luggage capacity is up on Solterra’s, roughly similar to Outback’s. 

Special cabin features include a 14.0-inch infotainment touchscreen, the largest yet for a Subaru, and a high-set instrument cluster.

On pricing, it will likely sit above Solterra.

Deliveries kick off early next year in the US, and European markets follow soon after. 

Subaru is evidently set to launch two further EVs this year, one thought to be a collaboration with Toyota.