Polestar 2: First Look

© PolestarNew Model
For many years Polestar has been the performance arm of the Volvo brand, but one year ago the Volvo Car Group along with China’s Zhejiang Geely Holding announced that Polestar was becoming its own standalone electrified performance brand. At the same time, the all-new Polestar 1 made its debut at the 2018 Geneva Motor Show, packing extreme hybrid performance in a sexy 2-door package. Now Polestar is revealing the next model in the lineup — the all-electric Polestar 2.

© PolestarFully Electric
“Polestar 2 is our first fully electric car and first volume model. Everything about it has been designed and engineered with passion and dedication. As an electric performance brand, and through the forthcoming launch of a portfolio of fully electric cars, Polestar is determined to address the world’s air quality challenges. Polestar delivers electric performance cars that are great to own and drive,” said Polestar Chief Executive Officer Thomas Ingenlath.

© PolestarVolume Model
Where Polestar 1 is positioned to be a flagship for the brand, Polestar 2 is designed to be a volume model with the Tesla Model 3 set squarely in its sights. Designed as a 5-door fastback, the Polestar 2 is built on Volvo’s Compact Modular Architecture platform that integrates the battery pack into the floor for improved chassis rigidity and reductions in noise, vibration and harshness.

© PolestarPowerful and Efficient
Polestar 2 will be equipped with two electric motors driving all four wheels. Total output will be a healthy 408 horsepower and 487 lb-ft of torque. Polestar expects the new model to reach 60 mph in less than 5 seconds. With a 78 kWh battery pack, the new Polestar 2 will travel up to 310 miles between charges.

© PolestarPerformance Pack
For those looking for something extra, the Polestar 2 will be available with a Performance Pack that adds Ohlins dampers, Brembo brakes, unique 20-inch forged wheels, and performance tires. The Performance Pack also adds signature gold seatbelts, gold brake calipers and gold valve caps for a stunning visual.

© PolestarHigh Tech
Polestar is just as much about technology as it is about electrified vehicles, and Polestar 2 will be the first car to ever embed Google’s Android operating system as the platform for its infotainment system. In addition to bringing together apps and vehicle functions, the Polestar will feature embedded Google services such as Google Maps, Google Assistant and the Google Play Store. These will be accessed with voice control or via an 11-inch touchscreen display.

© PolestarPhone as Key
Another unique bit of tech will enable a smartphone to act as the Polestar 2’s key. This allows for better connected services that could include pickup and delivery of the vehicle, as well as advanced car sharing. Employing the driver’s smartphone as the Polestar 2’s key should also integrate personal preferences that would carry from the phone to the car’s user interface.

© PolestarInterior
Other interior features include an instrument cluster that features enlarged graphics designed to provide the driver with charging and range status without having to enter the car. The interior will also be friendly to the environment. “We decided to bring something different to the segment. Our avant-garde design has evolved from Polestar 1 into an edgier, bolder statement,” said Maximilian Missoni, head of design at Polestar. “We have also designed a standard vegan interior with progressive textiles that will appeal to the forward-thinking audience who will subscribe to Polestar 2,” Missoni noted.

© PolestarNew Design
Polestar 2 will certainly stand out from the crowd with its frameless side mirrors, unique LED headlights, proximity lighting and illuminated Polestar logo. At the rear are LED taillights that stretch the width of the vehicle. Large wheels combined with lower dark cladding give the new Polestar 2 a bold look.

© PolestarAvailable Online
Similar to the Polestar 1, the new Polestar 2 will only be available for ordering online. Production of the Polestar 2 will begin in early 2020 at the brand’s factory in China. The launch edition will be priced at $63,000 minus state or federal incentives. After the first year a lower-cost version — priced around $45,000 — is expected to become available. Sometime after that the Polestar 3 will debut as fully-electric performance SUV.

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