Photo: Polestar / edited
Volvo's fancier alter ego Polestar has 150,000 reasons to celebrate. Over 150,000 units of the Polestar 2 were made through August 2023, which is especially impressive for a number of reasons.
First and foremost, we’re dealing with the Swedish automaker's first series-production electric vehicle. But more importantly, the brand is slowly but steadily entering the mainstream. Over 20,000 units of the 2 have found homes in the United Kingdom, plus 3,000 in Australia.
A good reason to consider the Polestar 2 over the Tesla Model 3 is the surprisingly extensive refresh operated for the 2024 model year. So extensive that the base version switched from a front-mounted electric motor to rear-wheel drive.
Over in the United States, the 2 is available to lease for $429 per month. Prices kick off at $49,900 for the 2024 model, which comes with the larger of two battery choices available worldwide. Dual-motor AWD is available too, although you'll be disappointed by the driving range. 276 miles (444 kilometers) is poor compared to a dual-motor Tesla Model 3 with the long-range battery, a configuration that's good for 333 miles (536 kilometers). Worse still, we're dealing with an $8,060 price difference.
Opting for the Performance Package makes the 2 Long Range Dual Motor even worse in terms of driving range, with Polestar quoting 247 miles (396 kilometers) in the combined test cycle. Given that Polestar is controlled by Chinese automaker Geely, there's no denying that – given time – increasingly better lithium-ion batteries will be used in the 2.
Back in May 2022, the company invested in StoreDot, an extreme fast charging (XFC) battery firm. With said investment, Polestar gained access to advanced battery technologies that are certain to be deployed in the automaker's future vehicles.
Turning our attention back to the 2024 model year 2, the Long Range Single Motor is rated at 299 all-electric horsepower and 361 pound-feet (490 Nm), which enables a dash to 60 miles per hour (97 kilometers per hour) in 5.9 seconds. The Long Range Dual Motor boasts 421 horsepower, 546 pound-feet (740 Nm), and 4.3 seconds, while the Performance Pack levels up to 455 horsepower, similar torque, and an estimated 4.1 clicks to 60 miles per hour.
All three are much obliged to tow up to 2,000 pounds (907 kilograms), and all three need half an hour to fast charge from 10 to 80 percent on direct current. Similar to the Model 3, the 2 can be configured in a limited number of exterior colors.
The build & price tool for the US market lists a grand total of six choices, beginning with Jupiter. Optional colors include Snow, Magnesium, Thunder, Midnight, and Space, with all five retailing at $1,250. The single most expensive option is the Performance Package for the Long Range Dual Motor at $5,500, which comprises new software, 20-inch forged alloys, Polestar Engineered chassis tuning, Ohlins Dual Flow Valve dampers, Brembo brakes, and gold seatbelts.
A good reason to consider the Polestar 2 over the Tesla Model 3 is the surprisingly extensive refresh operated for the 2024 model year. So extensive that the base version switched from a front-mounted electric motor to rear-wheel drive.
Over in the United States, the 2 is available to lease for $429 per month. Prices kick off at $49,900 for the 2024 model, which comes with the larger of two battery choices available worldwide. Dual-motor AWD is available too, although you'll be disappointed by the driving range. 276 miles (444 kilometers) is poor compared to a dual-motor Tesla Model 3 with the long-range battery, a configuration that's good for 333 miles (536 kilometers). Worse still, we're dealing with an $8,060 price difference.
Opting for the Performance Package makes the 2 Long Range Dual Motor even worse in terms of driving range, with Polestar quoting 247 miles (396 kilometers) in the combined test cycle. Given that Polestar is controlled by Chinese automaker Geely, there's no denying that – given time – increasingly better lithium-ion batteries will be used in the 2.
Back in May 2022, the company invested in StoreDot, an extreme fast charging (XFC) battery firm. With said investment, Polestar gained access to advanced battery technologies that are certain to be deployed in the automaker's future vehicles.
Turning our attention back to the 2024 model year 2, the Long Range Single Motor is rated at 299 all-electric horsepower and 361 pound-feet (490 Nm), which enables a dash to 60 miles per hour (97 kilometers per hour) in 5.9 seconds. The Long Range Dual Motor boasts 421 horsepower, 546 pound-feet (740 Nm), and 4.3 seconds, while the Performance Pack levels up to 455 horsepower, similar torque, and an estimated 4.1 clicks to 60 miles per hour.
All three are much obliged to tow up to 2,000 pounds (907 kilograms), and all three need half an hour to fast charge from 10 to 80 percent on direct current. Similar to the Model 3, the 2 can be configured in a limited number of exterior colors.
The build & price tool for the US market lists a grand total of six choices, beginning with Jupiter. Optional colors include Snow, Magnesium, Thunder, Midnight, and Space, with all five retailing at $1,250. The single most expensive option is the Performance Package for the Long Range Dual Motor at $5,500, which comprises new software, 20-inch forged alloys, Polestar Engineered chassis tuning, Ohlins Dual Flow Valve dampers, Brembo brakes, and gold seatbelts.
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