Subaru Corp. began taking orders for the new Trailseeker electric vehicle (EV) on April 9, the first time the automaker has produced an electric vehicle at its own factory.
The Trailseeker, jointly developed with Toyota Motor Corp., is the company’s second mass-produced EV for the global market. Its first EV was built by Toyota.
The Trailseeker is priced from 5.39 million yen ($33,840) to 6.38 million yen, including tax.
Following a revision to the government’s eco-car subsidy program on April 1, the Trailseeker is eligible for a 1.29-million-yen rebate, bringing the buyer’s actual cost down to a starting price of 4.1 million yen.
The vehicle has a maximum range of 734 kilometers on a single charge. It also features a battery-warming function that enables a rapid charge from 10 to 80 percent in about 28 minutes, even during cold winters when charging efficiency can drop.
Positioned as a “wagon-style sport utility vehicle (SUV),” the Trailseeker is engineered for confident handling on rough and slippery surfaces, including snowy roads.
Boasting 633 liters of cargo capacity—one of the largest among Subaru models—the space can hold four golf bags.
The production line at the company’s Gunma Yajima Plant in Ota, Gunma Prefecture, has been refurbished to enable mixed production of EVs alongside gasoline and hybrid vehicles (HVs).
The plant will also handle production of Toyota’s bZ4X Touring EV, which utilizes the same platform as the Trailseeker.