Polestar, the one-time performance brand of Volvo, has now branched out on its own as a fully-fledged automaker.
It took a big step forward in its mission to be a real player in the electric vehicle (EV) space, with the introduction of its latest offering, the Polestar 2.
Now I was a fan of its first vehicle, the performance-hybrid Polestar 1, which is only being sold in minimum quantities in the U.S. at a price north of $150,000.
The Polestar 1 got the brand [which is owned by China’s Geely [GELYF] group, which owns Volvo] off the ground into the performance EV landscape. The Polestar 2 is meant to get the car into the mainstream electric market, and it’s a very compelling offering at that.
Polestar says the all-electric Polestar 2 is designed as a premium vehicle within its segment. Unlike most cars in this segment — including the Audi (VWAGY) e-tron, Jaguar (TTM) I-PACE, BMW 3-series and Mercedes (DDAIF) C-class — you will be able to fully order the car online. You can also go to a Polestar retail experience, or a ‘pop-up’ outlet, to have a more traditional experience.
I first saw the Polestar 2 in the flesh at the brand’s pop-up location in midtown Manhattan. As we are still in the midst of the pandemic, precautions were taken for us to have our media debrief in a socially-distanced way, and each of us the use of the Polestar 2 for the day.
A little more about the Polestar 2. It has a dual-motor setup, producing a combined 408hp and and robust 487 lb-ft of torque. This can rocket the 4-door sedan with a hatch-like trunk to 0-60mph in 4.45 seconds.
At this time the Polestar 2 comes with a 78 KwH lithium-ion battery (75 KwH that is usable), which under the Worldwide Harmonised Light Vehicles Test Procedure (WLTP) certification gives the car a 291 mile range. The EPA has not conducted its testing yet, but Polestar believes it will be a little less than the WLTP figure.
