Polestar Announces More Affordable Options
For decades, the automotive industry has been following a basic formula for new technologies. When a technology is new, and relatively expensive, they started by selling it in the top-end vehicles in a segment. GM did this with Cadillac, Ford did this with Lincoln, Toyota did this with Lexus, and Honda did this with Acura. They let wealthier customers adopt automotive technologies early and help propel them toward mass production.
Tesla did the same thing. They started with a sports car, then a high-end luxury sedan, and now they’re working down toward the middle of the market with plans for lower-end cars at some point in the future.
Polestar has a similar story. First, the name came from a Volvo racing team. Next, the name was used for Volvo’s sportiest offerings (like Mercedes’ AMG). Later, they spun the brand off to stand on its own and offer electrified cars, without Volvo’s or Geely’s name to back it anymore, just like Hyundai’s Genesis brand.
Polestar’s first vehicle was the Polestar 1. It isn’t a pure EV, but it offers a range of up to 93 miles in all-electric mode before it actually needs the 2.0L twincharged gas engine to keep going. It has an integrated starter-generator-motor in the front with the gas engine, and two more powerful electric motors that power the rear wheels alone, allowing for torque vectoring. It’s basically Volvo’s first real push into the electrified space, and pricing starts at $155,000. Ouch.
Polestar’s plan was to eventually sell something the rest of us peasants would afford, and it is now headed solidly in that direction with the pure electric Polestar 2. It started with the all-wheel drive performance variants of the Polestar 2, which started at $59,900. Sure, that’s a lot cheaper than the Polestar 1, and you’re getting a vehicle that’s all-electric (not a hybrid), but compared to the average car sold in the US, that’s still a little steep. Now, Polestar is working on selling the cheaper variants of the Polestar 2.
If you go for the new single motor Polestar 2, prices start at $45,900 and possibly as low as the mid 30’s if you take advantage of US state and federal incentives. After incentives, that puts the base Polestar down just below the average new car price in the States. The single motor variant also gets the best range of any Polestar 1, not only because it’s using less power to move, but it also offers a heat pump to increase cold weather range.
For $3-4000 more, you can get a basic version of the dual motor variant, and Polestar is calling that the “bespoke” option. Basically, you can order it as a stripped down car with dual motors for performance (that might make this variant a true “muscle car”), or you can add on only what you want in order to avoid paying for anything you don’t really care to pay for.
If you’re willing to pay more, and don’t want to pick every little option for yourself, Polestar is offering several “packs” you can add to the car to get sets of features that complement each other well. Instead of regurgitating this information, I’ll quote Polestar’s press release where they describe these packages:
The Plus Pack ($4,000) debuts a mechanical heat pump, which is designed to extend the vehicle’s range by up to 10% under certain
conditions. The heat pump is complemented by a full-length panoramic glass roof, a premium interior featuring a Harman Kardon audio system, WeaveTech vegan upholstery, and high-level interior illumination. For those living in cold weather locales, the package offers a “must have” combination of comfort and range preservation.
The Pilot Pack ($3,200) offers enhanced safety and driver assistance features, such as Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC), Pilot Assist, Blind Spot Information System (BLISTM), Cross Traffic Alert, along with a 360-degree surround view camera and all-round parking sensors, plus more advanced safety features.
The Performance Pack ($5,000) features adjustable Öhlins suspension dampers supporting the front and rear forged 20-inch
alloy wheels, Brembo brakes, Continental sport tires, and Polestar’s signature ‘Swedish gold’ aesthetic details. (Only available on Polestar 2 Dual Motor.)
Other available options include a ventilated Nappa leather interior ($4,000), 20” wheels with unique spoke pattern ($1,200), a semi-electric tow bar ($1,200) and metallic paint ($1,200).
CleanTechnica got an invitation to a Polestar event later this month where we’ll be able to get some hands-on wheel time with these new Polestar 2 variants. Look out for our review and possibly a video in early September!
Featured image by Polestar.
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