Christmas and New Year's Eve are just around the corner, but that doesn't mean you can't already plan a couple of future trips. Visiting Sweden and driving on one of its many frozen lakes in an all-electric vehicle like the Polestar 2 might very well be at the top of your ultimate abroad and off-road adventure list. Here's what you need to know.
The Polestar 2 was updated this summer. The Chinese-owned Swedish automaker gave the zero-emission fastback more features and improved its range.
When writing, Americans can order the single-motor unit for a starting price of $48,900. That's the rear-wheel-drive version's pre-tax cost. It has an EPA-estimated range of 320 miles.
If you want more power and all-wheel drive, the dual-motor Polestar 2 is the way to go. But be advised that the MSRP increases to $54,300, and the range drops to 276 miles. But the zero to 60 mph time also shortens from 5.9 to 4.3 seconds. There's no EV tax credit, though! You might want to keep that in mind.
Prospective Polestar 2 buyers living in the US can book a test drive at one of the brand's dedicated retail locations. They are known as Polestar Spaces. However, there aren't too many out there. For example, Idaho, Montana, Utah, Nevada, New Mexico, Iowa, Kansas, Wisconsin, New York, Maine, and Vermont don't have one.
Fortunately, the marque offers interested parties a much better alternative to a simple test drive. You could go to the brand's home country and explore the Polestar 2 away from traffic, in a place where winter is loved and hailed as an amazing season.
The automaker found a place above the Arctic Circle: the city of Jokkmokk in the Lapland region. Even though you're going to an urban area, thick forests and frozen lakes are within reach.
Photo: Polestar
The Arctic Drive doesn't require you to be an expert driver. You just need a driver's license and be at least 21 years old. Of course, you'll also have to pay €2,500 ($2,726). That sum includes:
round-trip transport from the airport to the hotel;
two nights of accommodation at Hotel Akerlund;
more transport from the hotel to the frozen lakes and the woods;
lunch and coffee breaks;
two special dinners.
The flight to and from Sweden is not covered. Make sure you book the tickets before flights become too pricey.
Besides all that, Polestar figured out that you may want to have some fun when you're traveling so far to discover the Polestar 2 and see what the EV can do when it's put to the test. So, you may also see some limited-edition vehicles before others, spend time with engineers, and ride a snowmobile. Only one ride is included in the price, so don't get your hopes up for too much messing around.
If you want to visit Sweden, drive the Polestar 2 in a remote environment, have fun, meet new people, eat good food, and maybe see the aurora borealis (northern lights), then make sure to choose when you want to do it. At the time of writing, there are to openings available: 23-25 February 2024 or 1-3 March 2024.
If you have any doubts about witnessing the amazing northern lights, don't! They can appear in late February or early March!
The Polestar "Arctic Driving" experience is an opportunity to transform 2024 into a memorable year right from the get-go. It's also an opportunity to discover one of the most promising EV makers out there and see that there's more to the zero-emission car market than Tesla.
Car shows on TV and his father's Fiat Tempra may have been Florin's early influences, but nowadays he favors different things, like the power of an F-150 Raptor. He'll never be able to ignore the shape of a Ferrari though, especially a yellow one. Full profile
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