And it’ll take the fight right up to the Tesla Model 3.
Swedish performance brand Polestar have revealed “their first volume model,” which was designed almost entirely to nick sales from the ever-popular Tesla Model 3. They’ve called it the Polestar 2 and despite doing incredibly well with their debut Polestar 1 low-slung grand-tourer in terms of outright aesthetics, the second model has taken a more divisive approach, taking a 3-box saloon and jacking it up.
Polestar says that the design of the 2 was inspired by the 1 as well as by the Volvo S90, but we beg to differ. This design is almost a dead-ringer for the Concept 40.2, with only a few changes to mark it out as a distinctively Polestar product. That includes the weird ‘weave’ grille up front and the linked taillights at the rear, but overall, it looks like a rather interesting thing. We just reckon it’d have looked better about 5-inches closer to the ground.
The interior would appear to be very familiar to current Volvo owners, but look closer and certain design details begin to reveal themselves. Things like the larger, 11-inch touch-screen for example is the first iteration of the new Android-based Sensus system within the Swedish automotive group, and features EV specific features alongside the usual flotsam you get by using Google. And there’s also a unique digital drivers display, and the seats have been given a light revision over the usual Volvo fare.
It’s been detailed that the Polestar 2 sits on the Compact Modular Architecture (CMA) that also underpins the Volvo XC40 and Lynk&Co 01, but CMA’s been made to house a 27-module 78kWh battery pack this time, with a couple of electric motors at either end. This has resulted in outputs rated at 300kW and 660Nm, a century sprint time of “less than 5-seconds,” and a theoretical range of very-nearly 500km.
As with any new premium product from them, the Polestar 2 features all of the best safety innovations from the Volvo parts bin, including Pilot Assist semi-autonomous driving capabilities, adaptive-beam LED headlights, autonomous emergency braking, and lane departure warning & prevention among others. There’s also a ‘vegan interior,’ which we’re told will not grow saplings if left in sunlight.
Production of the Polestar 2 (in left- and right-hand drive) will begin in China in early-2020, of full-fat €59,990 launch-edition models for the first year. However once the first 12-months is up, the full-range of Polestar 2’s will be available to order online. Including the entry-level €39,990 model that’ll go head-to-head with Tesla’s price-leader.
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