Subaru has promised to expand its electric vehicle (EV) lineup in Australia with a broader range of battery-powered models, but is yet to confirm which EVs will be released here, or when.
The Japanese brand introduced its first dedicated EV, the Solterra, to local showrooms last year after it was developed as part of a joint venture with Toyota.
The mid-size electric SUV is twinned with the Toyota bZ4X with only minor cosmetic changes. But Subaru Australia sells the Solterra exclusively with a twin-motor configuration to maintain its trademark all-wheel drive layout, while the BZ4X is available with the same dual-motor AWD powertrain, as well as a single-motor front-wheel drive version for a lower price.
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2026 Subaru Solterra
While the Solterra has received a relatively luke-warm reception from Australian consumers, finding just 68 new homes in 2025 to the end of April (compared to 299 for Toyota), Subaru confirmed to Australian motoring media during a recent presentation for the sixth-generation Forester that it remains committed to EVs locally.
However, it would not provide any additional details on when it plans to launch additional EVs, now what they will be.
“Globally, Subaru Corporation has made it clear their desire is to have eight EVs by 2028,” said Subaru Australia general manager Scott Lawrence.
“How each one of these and when each one of these fits into… we’re working very close with Subaru Corporation. And we absolutely have a desire to build our EV offerings for Australian consumers.”
The next Subaru EV most likely to arrive is the Trailseeker SUV, which was revealed for the first time at the New York motor show in April.
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2026 Subaru Trailseeker -
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The Trailseeker is a more conventional wagon version of the Solterra that measures 152mm longer overall and 25mm taller, creating additional cargo space in the rear.
While it features a more rugged appearance, it does not have any additional ground clearance compared to the standard Solterra.
It was revealed in New York alongside the first facelift for the Solterra, which brings a more unique and distinctive front-end design, a larger-capacity 74.7kWh battery pack, 14kW more power (up from 160kW to 174kW) from its twin electric motors, and the introduction of a range-topping XT flagship that produces 252kW.
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2026 Subaru Solterra
Expect the revised Solterra, and potentially the Trailseeker, to arrive in local showrooms by the end of this year.
Beyond that, Subaru has confirmed it will continue to work alongside Toyota to build its EV portfolio, including a seven-seat large family SUV to rival the likes of the Kia EV9 and Hyundai Ioniq 9.
Toyota has also admitted it will create a dedicated battery-powered ute and compact car as part of its bZ (Beyond Zero) electric car range. But whether these models will be shared with Subaru has yet to be made clear.
