Polestar and Volvo have been inextricably linked over the last few decades, and with the current wave of electrification, things will be no different. Volvo cars and Polestar is owned by Geely, a gigantic Chinese manufacturer. Although Polestar were the performance arm of Volvo, these days it is its own all-electric sub-brand. Their latest offering, the Polestar 2 will be competing with the likes of the Tesla Model 3 and the BMW i4.
The CEO of Polestar used to be Head of Design at Volvo, and you can see the how the relationship shines through in the design language. The front end sits high and poised, proudly adorned with the Polestar logo. The car comes with either 19” or 20” wheels that fit nicely, neither under or oversized. Frameless mirrors help give a sleek look to what is a very angular car. At the back, 288 LEDs make up a light-bar that stretches all the way across the rear. The styling allows for a hatch back opening that gives way to a boot of 405 litres, complimented by a frunk of at least 35 litres. If you need more space, roof rails will take 75kg and it is rated to tow up to 1,500kg braked.
Inside, you can see the design flair carrying over, especially in comparison to the cleaner styling of its competitor, the Tesla Model 3. There is a marked crossover with Volvo parts, but that is certainly no bad thing. Memory seats sit you snugly into a dash that wraps around the driver. The centre console is dominated by an 11” screen that has Android Automotive built in. It is very functional and intuitive. There is also a very clear app that works nicely with the Polestar. This integration of tech is one of the strengths of the Polestar 2. There are three options if you’re considering the Polestar 2. Starting at €54,500, you can have the Standard Range, Single Motor version. That will give you a 67kWh usable battery for a real world range of just under 400km, although WLTP indicates up to 474km.
Polestar also give you two more option that both have the larger 75kWh usable battery. These are the Long Range Single Motor for about €62,000 and the Long Range Dual Motor which goes up to around €75,000 with some options. In terms of range, you don’t get much extra from the larger batteries. In the real world, you’re likely to get an extra 10 to 20km from the Dual Motor, and an extra 30km from the Single Motor. There is, however, a very noticeable difference in performance. Both Single motors put out 170kW, which will do 0-100kmh in 7.4 seconds. However, the Dual Motor has a combined 300kW motors and will get you to 100kmh in just 4.7 seconds. Don’t forget the performance pack which gives you gold Brembo brakes, Öhlins adjustable dampners with 22 settings, performance software upgrade, 20″ wheels with gold valve caps and gold seatbelts all for around an extra €6,500.
In terms of charging, all versions of the Polestar 2 will have 11kW on AC. On DC, there’s a slight difference. The Standard Range will take up to 130kW peak, and the Long Range will go up to 151kW.
There is no doubt that the Polestar will appeal to many people. The big question will be where it will fit into the market. The Model 3 is a big rival, being another all-electric saloon. The BMW i4 will also be on the minds of people looking for something this size and shape. But we may see Polestar taking more market share from the traditional buyers of combustion Audi, BMW and Mercedes saloons.
Polestar 2 Video Review
This review is in partnership with EV Review Ireland and you can learn more about what I thought of the Polestar 2 in the video below.
