Currently reading: New Polestar 2 to be revealed in two weeks' time
Newly independent performance car brand releases second image of electric Tesla Model 3 rival

Polestar will reveal its second production model, the Polestar 2, on 27 February in an online event.

The electric car will then be shown at the Geneva motor show, with the newly independent brand saying it intends to tread a different path to existing manufacturers when it comes to the launch and roll-out of its models.

New Polestar 2 revealed as sub-£35k Tesla Model 3 rival

Today, a second preview image of the 2 has been released, showing more of its rear design. The tailgate shape is distinguished from the Polestar 1's and features a full-length LED light bar.

Polestar2press

Details are still scarce, but Polestar refers to the 2's bodystyle as that of a four-door 'fastback' and says that it will be the first vehicle to feature Google's new human-machine interface technology and the in-car version of Google Assistant. 

The car will "be sold in the Tesla Model 3 price range", Polestar has said, suggesting a likely starting price of around £50,000. Customers will purchase it on a subscription basis, set to take the form of "a slightly more premium version" of Volvo's Care by Volvo scheme. 

The 2 is claimed to produce up to 400bhp and have a range of roughly 300 miles. 

Speaking to Autocar at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in 2018, Polestar COO Jonathan Goodman confirmed some details of the new model. 

Talking about the range of the entry-level model, he said: "That will represent the lower ‘bookend’ of our showroom range, and for now it should give us as much access to the volume end of the EV market as we need." 

The 2 is understood to closely relate to the Volvo 40.2 concept that was shown early in 2017 alongside the 40.1, which was then revealed in production form as the Volvo XC40 compact SUV.

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Goodman also warned that any established manufacturer that launches an EV sub-brand built on alternative design over the next few years might be making a big mistake, given the pace at which the market for EVs is set to develop.

“The global electric car market was worth four million units in 2017,” explained Goodman, “but it’s quite widely expected to be worth 29 million units by 2025. EV owners will come from all walks of life. So it’s a mistake to assume that, because the cars are electric, you have to make them quirky or futuristic.

"Other brands may be doing that, but if we’re looking at a market worth 30 million cars within seven years, it isn’t going to be niche, it’s going to be mainstream. So you just design a great-looking car – not one with a big blue flash down the side.”

In contrast to the cultish following that rival brand Tesla has attracted, Goodman also wants Polestar to have an inclusive attitude towards its customers. “I think it’s very dangerous for brands like ours to sit here and ask ‘what’s our type of customer?'", he said.

“Electric cars will be just as appealing to young executives as they are to retirees. It’s a new market, and purchase intentions will vary. So we’ve got to be a welcoming brand that’s not geeky, cliquey or judgmental.” 

Felix Page

Felix Page
Title: News and features editor

Felix is Autocar's news editor, responsible for leading the brand's agenda-shaping coverage across all facets of the global automotive industry - both in print and online.

He has interviewed the most powerful and widely respected people in motoring, covered the reveals and launches of today's most important cars, and broken some of the biggest automotive stories of the last few years. 

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That bloke 4 January 2019

Made in China, apparently -

Made in China, apparently - just looked it up.  Yeah, good luck with that, Volvo!

Citytiger 5 January 2019

That bloke wrote:

That bloke wrote:

Made in China, apparently - just looked it up.  Yeah, good luck with that, Volvo!

Why, whats wrong with it being built in China? 

kboothby 6 January 2019

because.....

at the moment most cars built in China are shite?  That said, they are catching up pretty quickly :)

xxxx 14 February 2019

For the moment at least

Citytiger wrote:

That bloke wrote:

Made in China, apparently - just looked it up.  Yeah, good luck with that, Volvo!

Why, whats wrong with it being built in China? 

One thing, if you pay £60,000 for a Polestar £6,000 of it goes straight to the EU pension fund etc, meaning you're over paying for car

Einarbb 14 February 2019

As Tesla 3 costs in the 45-50K range

xxxx wrote:

Citytiger wrote:

That bloke wrote:

Made in China, apparently - just looked it up.  Yeah, good luck with that, Volvo!

Why, whats wrong with it being built in China? 

One thing, if you pay £60,000 for a Polestar £6,000 of it goes straight to the EU pension fund etc, meaning you're over paying for car

Tesla 3 production costs appear to be near 40K, even though Elon Musk still hopes to bring them down, and the government of Donald Trump - is cutting subsidies to electric cars. That means, even though Tesla has been lovering production costs - is hasn't been able to reduce prices as planned, so far. And well the firms needs to make money as well. So assuming that new Polestar arrives costing no more than 50K, it might be price competitive vs. Tesla 3 depending upon spec. I don't believe the 35K Tesla 3 is ever happening. Tesla are executive to luxury cars - Mr. Musk should aim at stabilizing the make at that level. After launching the SUV based on Model 3 - he needs to replace the big Tesla then move down to the X replacement. Thus he would prove Tesla a real manufacturer with a product cycle. Having successfully launched a new independent executive/luxury car manufacturer isn't a minor achievment. It's a quite a long time ago the last time that happened in the car world.

xxxx 14 February 2019

Not just Tesla

Einarbb wrote:

xxxx wrote:

Citytiger wrote:

That bloke wrote:

Made in China, apparently - just looked it up.  Yeah, good luck with that, Volvo!

Why, whats wrong with it being built in China? 

One thing, if you pay £60,000 for a Polestar £6,000 of it goes straight to the EU pension fund etc, meaning you're over paying for car

Tesla 3 production costs appear to be near 40K, even though Elon Musk still hopes to bring them down, and the government of Donald Trump - is cutting subsidies to electric cars. That means, even though Tesla has been lovering production costs - is hasn't been able to reduce prices as planned, so far. And well the firms needs to make money as well. So assuming that new Polestar arrives costing no more than 50K, it might be price competitive vs. Tesla 3 depending upon spec. I don't believe the 35K Tesla 3 is ever happening. Tesla are executive to luxury cars - Mr. Musk should aim at stabilizing the make at that level. After launching the SUV based on Model 3 - he needs to replace the big Tesla then move down to the X replacement. Thus he would prove Tesla a real manufacturer with a product cycle. Having successfully launched a new independent executive/luxury car manufacturer isn't a minor achievment. It's a quite a long time ago the last time that happened in the car world.

In 18 months time it won't be just the Model 3 the Polestar 2 is up against.  There'll be European competitors

That bloke 4 January 2019

Made in...?

Made in...?