Polestar is the new kid on the block. A joint subsidiary of Geely China and Volvo Sweden, this company wants to tackle Tesla. Their first electric car is a Model 3 rival called the Polestar 2. It’s an SUV like a sedan that is completely different from any other car ever made. It’s based on the underpinnings of the XC40 SUV hence the high riding position.
Polestar was originally Volvo’s high-performance sub-division. Think of it as Volvo’s equivalent to Mercedes-AMG. Polestar only made a handful of high-performance units, with the last ones being the S60 and V60 Polestar models. The Polestar name is still used today on the faster Volvo cars however, their main aim has shifted more towards Electric Vehicles.
For years Volvo has wanted to make their cars more environmentally friendly. Their latest generation of cars is all powered by 4-cylinder engines. They too hope to switch the whole lineup to electric. Polestar is the first step into the wild and they plan to be a key alternative to Tesla.
Should Tesla be worried? At this point in time no. Tesla is worth way more than the whole Geely group (Volvo’s owners) and their stock continues to soar every day. Tesla are in fact the world’s most valuable car company, what do they have to lose against Polestar? Well, you could argue that Volvo will capture their customers but that’s simply not true. If Polestar wants to catch up with Tesla then they need to work harder than a company where the CEO once did 100+ hour weeks. In simple terms, Tesla has done more in the last 18 years than what most car companies would do in 50 years.
Why Would Anybody Buy a Polestar 2?
That’s a good question. Why would anyone want a Polestar 2? The base MSRP is $63,000 (before federal incentive). This is a lot more than the $35,000 needed for a base Tesla Model 3. Therefore, this car rivals the extremely fast (but cheaper) Model 3 performance which is priced at $56,990 base. However, the Polestar 2 has a stick right tup its sleeve for Tesla. The Model 3 lacks build quality hugely, and this is something owners are concerned about. What does Volvo do with the Polestar then? Introduces a high-quality finish throughout the car.
Exterior wise it looks more interesting than a Tesla Model 3. Just take a look at one to notice the insane difference in design.
The Tesla Model 3 is more minimalist and futuristic. Whilst the Polestar has more character. Inside its the same story there with Tesla’s minimalist but bland interior. Compare that to what Polestar has achieved with their car that simply cuts the competition.
Tesla Model 3 Below:
Polestar 2 Below:
The design and feel of the interior is vastly different. Its like chalk and cheese essentially. Tesla wants to be seen as futuristic and simple. Like an iPhone. Polestar wants to embrace the character and infusing culture via Scandanavian design within the interior. They’re the Samsung then. Following on from Android the Polestar 2 is actually powered by Android. That is pretty cool.
Volvo undercuts Tesla then hugely in quality with the Polestar. Plus a higher driving position makes it more comfortable in the long run as well as better ground clearance. This will easily attract a certain unique crowd of people. It seems like both brands will have their own customer characteristics. But this does not stop them both from stealing each other’s customers.
What About Charging and Range?
The bad news is that Tesla’s infrastructure is so vast that it would take years for Volvo to catch up with the Polestar. The good news? They’ve already started. European owners of the Polestar 2 can take advantage of the fast-charging Plugsurfing network. Therefore, charging times and rates have massively decreased. This means the Polestar can become a bit more competitive in terms of charging against Tesla. The Polestar 2 can charge to 80% on a Plugsurf in just over half-an-hour. However, the Plugsurfing network is not as vast as the Tesla supercharging network. American Polestar owners may have to wait a bit longer for faster-charging technology.
There are many ways to charge the Polestar at home. This all depends on what charger or lead you have. If the lead or charger is weak, then the charge rate will be slow. If it’s strong then the car will charge much quicker.
Volvo claims the Polestar 2 can do 292 miles on a single charge. However, real-world tests show the figure is more between 230-270+ miles. The long-range variant of the Model 3 will give you an extra 50 miles on a charge. The Polestar 2 is no slouch though. Volvo doesn’t actually say what the 0-60 time is for the Polestar 2. Instead, they advertise it as a “car that can do 60 in less than five seconds.” This is still way off from the performance variant of the Model 3, which is hitting 60 in 3.2 seconds. Horsepower wise the Polestar 2 pushes 402 hp with torque peaking at 487 lb-ft.
The Polestar 2 has a decent range for a first attempt. It’s likely that it will increase over the years to become more competitive within the evergrowing EV industry. There may even be a high-performance variant of the Polestar 2 made to rival cars such as the BMW M3 and Mercedes C63 AMG.
Where is The Polestar 2 Made?
Despite Polestar being based in Gothenburg Sweden, all their cars will be manufactured in China within Geely factories. This is actually a good move as it gives Volvo direct access to the Chinese EV market, which is one of the biggest markets in the world. Tesla was able to capture a third of the China EV industry back in February 2020. Volvo will be giving them a tough call then with the Polestar since it can be a lot more competitive within the market.
Will Volvo manufacture Polestar cars elsewhere? Maybe. The United States could be a future possibility, as well as Europe. However, in this present moment, manufacturing in China is the best and most profitable option. The Polestar 2 will luckily be built in both LHD and RHD circumstances, unlike the Polestar 1 sportscar.
Volvo also makes another car under the Polestar name. Polestar 1. However, that is a 2.0 hybrid limited-edition car with only 1500 units (500 built each year for 3 years). That is a 600hp car powered via a 2.0 gas engine and two electric motors. It’s a classy car that definitely gives Polestar a value and a characteristic.
Polestar 1 pictured below:
Featured image credits via: topgear.com