Automotive News Europe - March 2020 - 17

The Polestar 2 has a strong, sculpted stance as well as extra storage space under hood.

Polestar 2 targets
Tesla converts
V

olvo's Polestar brand is touting driving dynamics and connectivity as two
ways that its first full-electric car can win
converts from fans of Tesla. The Chinabuilt Polestar 2 sedan will go on sale in
June as a rival to Europe's top-selling
electric car, the Tesla Model 3, joining the
brand's only vehicle currently on sale, the
Polestar 1 plug-in hybrid coupe. Polestar
says it focused on the all-wheel-drive

Fast Facts
❚ Drivetrain: The Polestar 2 has
a 150 kW electric motor on each
axle that produce the combined
equivalent of 402 hp and 660 Nm.
❚ Acceleration: The compact sedan
can go 0 to 100 kph in 4.7 seconds.
❚ Range: The car can travel 470 km
(combined range, WLTP) on a single
charge.
❚ Interior: Vegan cabin materials are
standard.

sedan's driving dynamics because cars
driven by electric motors all have great
acceleration and torque so there is less
differentiation compared with cars powered by gasoline or diesel engines.
The Polestar 2 was engineered to deliver
agile driving characteristics as well as
quick, responsive steering while also feeling comfortable and stable in keeping with
Polestar parent Volvo's safety philosophy.
The Polestar 2's 78-kilowatt-hour lithiumion battery pack sits below the car's floor,
which helps to improve chassis rigidity
and reduces road noise. Its chassis was
fine-tuned to deliver, "What we call the
'golden ride'," said Joakim Rydholm, the
brand's lead chassis engineer.
The Polestar 2 takes a big leap forward in
connectivity with the first use in a production car of Google's Android Automotive
for its infotainment system. Unlike Android Auto and Apple Car Phone, which
mirror a smartphone's display onto the

The Basics
❚ Launch date: June
❚ Starting price: 58,800 euros

(launch edition, Germany)
❚ Platform:
Compact Modular Architecture
❚ Where built: Luqiao, China

MARCH 2020

dashboard display, Android Automotive
does not rely on an external device to
operate. Because it is embedded into the
car it offers advanced digital features. For
example, if you use Google Maps for directions, it can tell you not just the route
but also if you will need to charge the
battery along the way. Its maps app has
an offline mode to use for route-finding
where there is no Internet connectivity.
The dashboard's big 11-inch display can
also be customized for more than one
user. Like Tesla, Polestar is shunning the
traditional dealership retail model and is
selling its cars only online. The brand is
opening so-called Polestar Spaces, which
are showrooms where brand employees
can help customers with product information and test drives. The first has opened
in Oslo and more are planned in Europe
and the U.S. Owners can use Volvo's
dealer network for repairs and servicing.
The sedan is being marketed as a practical
car as well as a sporty model. Its 1,500kg braked towing capacity is the highest
in the compact electric segment, Polestar
says. This is an important selling point in
Scandinavian countries where some owners will want to tow boats. The car's combined luggage capacity of 440 liters comprises a 405-liter rear luggage area and a
35-liter front storage compartment.
The Polestar 2 will be a key model in the
brand's goal of achieving annual sales of
100,000 vehicles. Future models will include the Polestar 3 full-electric midsize
SUV and two more cars for which details
haven't been announced.
-- Paul McVeigh

www.autonewseurope.com

http://www.autonewseurope.com

Automotive News Europe - March 2020

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