American EV company is about to get a very Swede headache.
New electrified performance carmaker Polestar is certainly ambitious, with its sights set on upsetting more established marques on the electric-vehicle playing field. As a marque beneath the Volvo Cars Group, Polestar won’t be struggling to look for technology to make that happen, as evident in the Polestar 1 that was used to launch the company firmly into contention.
While Polestar 1 is a plug-in petrol-electric hybrid, the company has confirmed that it will be taking a fully-electric approach moving forwards, also confirming that 2019 will see the expansion of the Polestar range to include the Polestar 2 compact-executive saloon, and the Polestar 3, an “SUV-styled” vehicle that will “create a modern expression of electric performance and driving dynamics.”
No specifics have been offered on either model at this point, but we do know that the Polestar 2 will be aimed directly at the Tesla Model 3, the immensely-popular saloon that’s presently putting Tesla in “production hell.” The Polestar 2 will be second vehicle from the new company, and is expected to come with battery packs similar to the 50kWh and 70kWh sizes presently offered in the Tesla, though range could be improved should the Polestar 2 adopt a similarly lightweight construction as the Polestar 1.
The last addition to the range (for the time being) will be the Polestar 3, an SUV of some sort that will offer driving dynamics unlike anything ever before from the Volvo Cars Group. It’s unknown which segment the Polestar 3 SUV will compete in, though it’s likely that it will target the Tesla Model X or perhaps be a segment lower, against the upcoming Jaguar I-Pace.
Polestar made its formal re-emergence as a standalone electrified car brand last week with the launch of the Polestar 1, a 2+2 sports-GT coupe that sits on a reworked Scalable Product Architecture platform combined with a carbon-fibre rich construction, powered by a heavily-tuned T8 TwinEngine powertrain producing an impressive 441kW and 1000Nm from its petrol-electric hybrid setup. The Polestar 1 is the first ground-up model for the company, though it retains some 50% similarity to the Volvo vehicles on which its based (it’s a shortened S90, by the way).
“Polestar 1 is the first car to carry the Polestar on the bonnet. A beautiful GT with amazing technology packed into it - a great start for our new Polestar brand. All future cars from Polestar will feature a fully electric drivetrain, delivering on our brand vision of being the new standalone electric performance brand.” — Thomas Ingenlath, CEO, Polestar
While Volvo maintains existing production facilities in Sweden, Malaysia, and China (the former two the only locations that presently manufacture the complex T8 petrol-electric drivetrain), a brand-new facility will be built to produce the Polestar 1 in Chengdu. Polestar is aiming for an annual production figure between 500 to 1000 cars (limited by the time-intensive carbon-fibre construction), with sales expected to come from new ‘Polestar Space’ retail facilities (that, they underline, will be stand-alone locations that have no relation to existing Volvo dealerships). Sales themselves will be fulfilled 100% online, though the Polestar Spaces will act as a medium with which customers can engage with the products and the brand before committing to purchase.
Interestingly, Polestar 2nd-in-command Jonathan Goodman says that while the Polestar 1 will command a price tag somewhere around €130,000 (or a shade under $200,000), Polestar reckons that the bulk of its orders will come from customers who opt for a subscription service to purchase, very much like the ‘Care by Volvo’ scheme that was launched earlier this month with the Volvo XC40 compact SUV.
With that package, Polestar owners will be able to “focus on the joy of driving” by paying a flat-rate every month that covers the costs of maintenance and insurance through either a 24- or 36-month duration. A subscription will also unlock various concierge services that will deliver greater convenience to owners, while also allowing access to the rest of the Volvo and Polestar portfolio for a predetermined number of days annually, letting you enjoy the flexibility of a fleet without actually owning anything.
The Polestar 1 is slated for production in early 2019, and will be joined by the Polestar 2 saloon (that we’re expected to see sometime in the middle of 2018), and will roll off the line at the new Chengdu facility exclusively. The Polestar 2 and Polestar 3 may (may) make it to our shores, as it will be designed with right-hand drive from the outset, unlike the left-hook only Polestar 1, though we’re still waiting on official confirmation from Volvo’s local arm with regards to Polestar’s offering in Australia.
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