LAGUNA BEACH, Calif. — Subaru Corp. has established a loyal following in the United States making rugged, go-anywhere, dog-friendly, gas-powered hatchbacks and SUVs.

Though its wanderlusting customer base leans green, Subaru has struggled to sell electric vehicles because of range and charging limitations. For 2026, Subaru thinks it has cracked the code and is offering three EVs in its lineup.

Sharing a battery platform with similar Toyota EVs, the electron-powered Subies are made in Japan, while assembly of its gas-fired vehicles is split between Japan and Lafayette, Indiana. At the media test for the all-new Uncharted and Trailseeker EVs (which join the Solterra EV in the Subaru lineup), Detroit News Auto Critic Henry Payne sat down with Trailseeker product planning manager Garrick Goh.

Goh, who works in Subaru of America’s Camden, New Jersey, headquarters, discussed Subaru’s EV strategy, the end of California EV mandates, Subaru customer demands and more.

Question: Garrick, in Detroit we've seen big losses related to the electric vehicle industry. Ford has lost $20 billion on EVs, GM $6 billion, Stellantis $26 billion. And here you guys come with three electric SUV models: Uncharted, Solterra and Trailseeker. You clearly see opportunity in the EV space. What's different for you?

Answer: Our customers are in a unique space compared to some other carmakers. About a third of our customers are very interested in getting an EV for their next car; that's why we're still going so hard on EVs.

Q: These three EVs are very much in line with gas SUVs you currently sell: subcompact Crosstrek, compact Forester and midsize Outback. Similar sequence to Uncharted, Solterra and Trailseeker EVs. Similar or different customers?

A: Crosstrek, Forester and Outback work really well for us. Three unique cars with three different types of customers. We figured, if that's working well for us in the gas space, (customers will) want an EV version of that.

So we have Uncharted which is smaller, more affordable. It's still very fast — 0-60 mph in the high four seconds for the all-wheel-drive model. There's Solterra, which is very safe and great for getting around in all kinds of weather. Then we have Trailseeker, which is for that adventure-seeking customer who also wants a practical, safe, everyday EV SUV. They also want to do fun things on the weekend, like camping or biking or off-road driving.

Q: Two years ago, when I last spoke with you, you were facing serious, looming regulation from the so-called Section 177 states — led by California — that were mandating by this 2026 model year that your sales mix had to be 35% EV. That was a big lift for every automaker not named Tesla. You were relieved of that regulation when Congress removed California's authority to regulate CO2 emissions. Is that good news for you?

A: Yeah, that was a very aggressive target for EVs. But like we were talking about earlier, a lot of our customers still want EVs regardless of what the government's telling them. We have customers that want hybrids, EVs, plain-old gas engines. We have to build competitive product to satisfy all of them, which is hard, but it's what we're working on.

Q: That’s a lot of money to invest in parallel gas and EV model lines. That's a big lift, but now it's on your terms. You're able to meet customer demand as opposed to meeting government demand?

A: That's right.

Q: Do you see the EV market as still primarily California?

A: Like a lot of automotive trends, they start in California then move to the middle of the country. That's what we've seen with EV adoption too. Subaru of America is based right outside of Philadelphia, and 10 years ago, you'd hardly see any EVs on the road. Now, it's becoming commonplace.

Not all of our customers want the latest cutting edge. They are interested in technology, value for money, and they want to do the right thing for the planet. But since so many people have EVs now, it's not as big of a stretch for them to consider an EV for their next car.

Q: Uncharted is your entry-level EV. It shares a platform with the Toyota C-HR EV, but it's very distinctively a Subaru model. Except it starts with front-wheel-drive, as opposed to signature Subaru AWD. What's behind that decision?

A: It is primarily aimed at the California market at this time, (and) the weather is usually very nice here. We have a lot of active lifestyle customers that go to the trails, but they don't always need AWD. The FWD car is for those customers, because it helps keep the price lower, and increases the (battery) range. We're over 300 miles of range with that car.

We do very well in the Pacific Northwest and in New England states. We don't expect that to change for those areas, because AWD is such a core part of our brand. That's something we really focused on, especially for Trailseeker and Solterra. When we decide what makes a Subaru EV a Subaru, it needs to be able to go anywhere, any kind of weather conditions, do some awkward driving, fit all your stuff in the back.

Q: Solterra is in the biggest volume, compact SUV segment. With the midsize Trailseeker, you're parallel with a Subaru icon, the Outback. Trailseeker shares a lot of features with Outback.

A: A big one for us is the ladder-type roof rails. There is no other EV SUV in this class that has raised, ladder-type roof rails. We outrank all the other mass-market brands when it comes to people looking for functional roof rails as a purchase reason.

Q: Size is similar, interior space is similar. Outback has gone through a major redesign of its own for 2026 and looks more SUV-like. Do you think that'll be an attraction for Trailseeker customers since it looks little more like a traditional Outback wagon?

A: Yeah, it could be. Trailseeker is an interesting combination: it offers very similar form factor to Outback, and it gives you similar energy efficiency to Solterra. But it also does 0-60 mph in 4.4 seconds.

Q: Trailseeker has a similar size battery to Uncharted (74.7 kWh), which is coming in at a lower price point. But Uncharted ($41K AWD Sport model) is quite a bit more expensive than a Crosstrek ($32K Sport), for example, whereas you look at comparable pricing between a Trailseeker ($45K Limited model) and an Outback ($43K), and they're pretty close — just over $2,000 difference.

A: It's a little bit murkier if you do the Crosstrek to Uncharted comparison, because . . . the more accurate (equipment) comparison is between Crosstrek Hybrid ($35K Sport) and Uncharted.

Q: We’re used to seeing electric vehicles that are $8,000-$10,000 more than comparable gas cars. Trailseeker is a pretty good choice for a Subaru customer?

A: As time goes by, the cost to make EVs comes down so we can make them more in line with their gas counterparts. Affordability is critical, right? The average price of a new car (is about) $50,000. Now you can get a EV SUV that does almost 300 miles per charge for $40k.

Q: Tesla's secret sauce has been their charging network and navigation system integration. You now bring in a Tesla-like, NACS (North American Charging Standard) connector in your EVs, as well as access to the Tesla network. That's got to be a game-changer.

A: Yeah, it certainly is. Especially for customers that are new to the EV space, because Tesla Superchargers are quite visible. We are also offering plug-and-charge capability, so you don't need to download (the Tesla) app. Just drive up to the charger, plug it in, and it'll send you the bill later.

Q: Thanks, Garrick.

A: Thank you, Henry.

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Henry Payne is auto critic for The Detroit News. Find him at hpayne@detroitnews.com or @HenryEPayne.

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