First seen at the Shanghai Auto Show (see article: Polestar 4 - The New Breed of Electric SUV Coupe), Polestar brought the Polestar 4 to the New York International Auto Show for North Americans to see in person.

Polestar calls the Polestar 4 an "electric SUV 4-door coupe". Outside of that marketing speak, the Polestar 4 is a slightly lifted four-door hatchback about 190 inches in length, or roughly 2 inches shorter than a Toyota Camry.  Built without rear glass, the Polestar 4 makes use of a rear camera for visibility astern.

Polestar 4 features a plethora of standard content, including 20-inch 5 V-spoke black diamond cut alloy wheels, panoramic glass roof, adaptive cruise control, 360 parking camera with 3D view, energy saving heat pump, front-illuminated Polestar logo, e-latch doors, power-operated tailgate with soft close, Polestar digital key, wireless phone charging, and 8-way electrical driver seat and 6-way electrical passenger seat.

The fastest production car the brand has ever developed to date, Polestar 4 can accomplish a 0-60 mph sprint in 3.7 seconds and in top spec can produce 544 horsepower. Long-range single-motor variants have 272 horsepower and a targeted EPA range of over 300 miles. All long range variants have a 102 kWh battery capable of 200 kW charging on a DC Fast Charger and 11 kW on home level-2 charging.

Google built-in is ... built in and includes Google Assistant, Google Maps and Google Play. Polestar continues to offer a leading connected in-car experience. As with all other Polestar cars, regular over-the-air updates allow for new features and improvements to be sent remotely to all vehicles.

Pricing starts at $54,900, with orders opening in April for deliveries in the latter half of this year.

Polestar has brought to the world their Polestar 4, a performance electric SUV coupe that is slotted between the Polestar 2 and the Polestar 3.

A new approach was taken in engineering this performance coupe SUV as Polestar Thomas Ingehlath, CEO stated: 

“With Polestar 4 we have taken a fundamental new approach to SUV coupe design. Rather than simply modifying an existing SUV, giving it a faster roofline and as a result, compromising elements like rear headroom and comfort, we have designed Polestar 4 from the ground up as a new breed of SUV coupe that celebrates rear occupant comfort and experience,” 

Polestar Design

The resulting generous interior proportions are especially evident in the rear, where occupants experience an intimate environment with reclining seats. Adjustable ambient lighting is inspired by the solar system and adds an extra dimension to the interior, allowing the driver to customize their environment.

The standard full-length glass roof is available with optional electrochromic functionality, allowing for opaque or transparent upward visibility depending on the mood. Thanks to the elimination of the rear window, the glass roof stretches beyond the rear occupants’ heads, creating a truly unique interior ambience. A secondary media and climate control screen is mounted between the front seats to enable rear occupant control.

The rearview mirror is replaced by a high-definition screen that shows a live feed from a roof-mounted rear camera – enabling a far wider field of view than what can be experienced in most other cars. The digital feed can be deactivated to allow drivers to instead see rear occupants when needed – a convenient feature for parents transporting children in the backseat.

Polestar Sustainability

New interior materials include a tailored knit textile, which consists of 100 percent recycled PET, along with bio-attributed MicroTech vinyl and animal welfare-secured Nappa leather upholsteries.

The tailored knit upholstery is a new technique for the automotive industry. First shown in the Precept concept car, the textile is made from 100 percent recycled polyester. The material and the design have been created by Polestar designers together with the Swedish School of Textiles (Borås Textilhögskolan) and further developed with suppliers. It is made to fit, producing no offcuts and reduced overall waste.

Inlay carpets in the interior are made using recycled PET and floor carpets are made using ECONYL, which includes reclaimed fishing nets. Specific door trim panels are made from NFPP (natural fiber polypropylene), which results in up to 50 percent less virgin plastic and a weight saving of up to 40 percent. MicroTech, first introduced in Polestar 3, is a bio-attributed vinyl that replaces crude oil with pine oil in its construction and features a recycled textile backing.

Polestar Performance

Both dual- and single-motor versions will be available, with single-motor versions featuring rear-wheel drive. Despite the high output and performance, control and confidence are always key factors to produce a responsible, everyday-enjoyable EV experience. Semi-active suspension features in the dual-motor version provide an additional layer of adjustment between comfort and performance dynamics. Wheels range from 20 to 22-inches in size, depending on the version, with tires supplied by Pirelli and Michelin.

A 102 kWh battery is fitted to both long-range versions. The Long range Dual motor features 400 kW (544 hp), 686 Nm (506 lb-ft) A disconnect clutch allows the car to disengage the front electric motor when not needed, to maximize range and efficiency.

Up to 200 kW DC and 22 kW AC charging is included for all versions, and the charge lid is motorized. Bi-directional charging is included, with vehicle-to-load (V2L) capability at launch providing for external devices to draw power from Polestar 4. A heat pump is fitted as standard, allowing the car to capitalize on ambient heat when preconditioning the cabin and battery.

Full details can be found here.

666298_20230417_Polestar_4_technical_factsheet_North_America_2023.pdf

Polestar Technology

In Polestar 4, the infotainment system powered by Android Automotive OS and the Snapdragon Cockpit Platform now utilizes a 15.4-inch landscape-oriented screen.

With Google built-in, including Google Assistant, Google Maps and Google Play, Polestar continues to offer a leading connected experience. The close collaboration with Google allows Polestar to keep pushing the boundaries of the system.

A Harman Kardon audio system is available as an option, with 12 speakers and 1,400-Watt channel-hybrid amplifier. An additional two headrest speakers are added to each front seat with the optional Nappa Pack– raising the total to 16. Naturally, Apple CarPlay is included.

As with all Polestar EVs, OTA or over the air updates will be standard.

Polestar Safety

New partnerships bring intelligent safety technology to the fore, including the SuperVision Advanced Driver Assistance System from Mobileye.

A total of 12 cameras, one radar and 12 ultrasonic sensors are fitted as standard. This includes a driver monitoring camera, which only relays data and does not record video, to monitor the driver’s eyes and head movements to help avoid incidents related to fatigue or incapacitation. Together with hands-on detection in the steering wheel, the driver monitoring system helps to keep the driver actively engaged in driving, as required.

A 10.2-inch driver display is mounted ahead of the steering column and includes speed, battery and range information. When engaged by various assistance systems, a virtual environment can show other road users, current driving assistance functions and navigation information. To reduce distraction, a head-up display (HUD) with 14.7-inch projection area in front of the driver relays key vehicle, telephony and navigation information to the windscreen, further improving driver attentiveness. A clever “snow mode” function for the HUD switches the text color from white to yellow, improving visibility in snowy environments.

Polestar Equipment Packs

Standard vehicle specification is high, with additional packages tailored to adding specific options that enhance overall enjoyment. The Plus Pack is comprised of comfort and technology upgrades, with the Plus Pro Pack adding a color-coded body execution, the electrochromic glass roof and additional interior illumination. The Nappa Pack can be selected in addition to the Plus Pack, and includes animal welfare-secured Nappa leather upholstery with ventilation, massage and additional headrest speakers for the front seats.

The Pilot Pack includes Pilot Assist and its extended features. The Performance Pack increases the performance look and driving experience of the Long range Dual motor version, with 22-inch wheels, 4-piston Brembo brakes, Polestar Engineered performance chassis tuning and Swedish gold details for the brakes, seat belts and valve caps.

Polestar PAP

Production is slated to begin November 2023 in Hangzhou Bay, China with arrival in the North American market mid 2024 and a launch price of $60,000.

Polestar, a racing team that became a subsidiary of Volvo and got it's freedom by selling the parent company to a Chinese owner Geely became a new IPO'd EV company Reveals their third model, an SUV as well as announcing Model 4 & 5.

Polestar (Nasdaq: PSNY) is the Swedish electric performance car brand determined to improve society by using design and technology to accelerate the shift to sustainable mobility. Headquartered in Gothenburg, Sweden, its cars are available online in 27 markets globally across North America, Europe and Asia Pacific. The company plans to create a truly climate-neutral production car, without offsetting, by 2030.

• Unique design language inspired by Polestar Precept makes production debut
• Fully electric 5-seat SUV produces up to 380 kW and 910 Nm
• Very high level of standard equipment available at launch; priced from EUR 89,900

 

Polestar (Nasdaq: PSNY) officially reveals the Polestar 3 electric performance SUV. Scandinavian minimalism and purity work together with the key ingredients of a sport utility vehicle, defining the SUV for the electric age. Polestar 3 makes the SUV not only more relevant and responsible, but also desirable for all the right reasons.

 

“Polestar 3 is a powerful electric SUV that appeals to the senses with a distinct, Scandinavian design and excellent driving dynamics,” says Thomas Ingenlath, Polestar CEO. “It takes our manufacturing footprint to the next level, bringing Polestar production to the United States. We are proud and excited to expand our portfolio as we continue our rapid growth.”

 

Polestar 3 premieres a new aerodynamic profile where strong focus has been placed on retaining the hallmarks of an SUV, including a powerful and wide stance. This has been led by subtle yet effective aerodynamic optimisation – including a front aero wing integrated into the bonnet, an aero wing integrated into the rear spoiler, and rear aero blades.

 

“This car has been designed as a Polestar from the start and features new defining characteristics for us – like the dual blade headlights, SmartZone and front aero wing,” continues Thomas Ingenlath.

 

Materials used inside Polestar 3 have been selected for their sustainability credentials, while raising premium aesthetics and luxury tactility. These include bio-attributed MicroTech, animal welfare-certified leather and fully traceable wool upholsteries. In line with Polestar’s commitment to transparency, a complete life-cycle assessment (LCA) will be completed on Polestar 3 when production begins. Subsequent assessments will follow through its life cycle and work will continue to constantly find ways of reducing its carbon footprint.

 

Polestar 3 is the first car from Polestar to feature centralised computing with the NVIDIA DRIVE core computer, running software from Volvo Cars. Serving as the AI brain, NVIDIA’s high-performance automotive platform processes data from the car’s multiple sensors and cameras to enable advanced driver-assistance safety features and driver monitoring.

 

The infotainment system is powered by a next-generation Snapdragon Cockpit Platform from Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. As a central component of the Snapdragon Digital Chassis – a comprehensive set of open and scalable cloud-connected automotive platforms – the Snapdragon Cockpit Platform will be utilised to provide immersive in-vehicle experiences with its high-performance capabilities to deliver high-definition displays, premium quality surround sound and seamless connectivity throughout the vehicle.

 

With Volvo Cars embarking on a new era of safety, Polestar 3 carries next-generation advanced active and passive safety technology from Volvo Cars as part of its DNA. This includes the latest innovation – interior radar sensors that can detect sub-millimetre movements in the interior of the car, to help protect against accidentally leaving children or pets inside. The system is also linked to the climate control system to avoid heat stroke or hypothermia.

 

Further collaborations with industry-leading safety technology partners like Zenseact, Luminar and Smart Eye, provide Polestar 3 with cutting-edge ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance System) technology that integrates seamlessly thanks to the centralised computing power.

 

As standard, Polestar 3 features a total of five radar modules, five external cameras and twelve external ultrasonic sensors to support numerous advanced safety features. The SmartZone below the front aero wing collects several of the forward-facing sensors, a heated radar module and camera, and now becomes a signature of Polestar design. Inside, two closed-loop driver monitoring cameras bring leading eye tracking technology from Smart Eye to a Polestar for the first time, geared towards safer driving. The cameras monitor the driver’s eyes and can trigger warning messages, sounds and even an emergency stop function when detecting a distracted, drowsy or disconnected driver.

 

Android Automotive OS is the in-car operating system, co-developed with Google and fronted by a 14.5-inch centre display. It is an evolution of the technology first launched in Polestar 2 – the first car in the world with Google built-in – and a revolution of functionality and design for the large SUV segment. Over-the-air (OTA) updates are included to allow for continuous software improvement and the introduction of new features without the need to visit a service point.

 

Polestar 3 launches with a dual-motor configuration and a power bias towards the rear. The standard car produces a total of 360 kW and 840 Nm of torque. With the optional Performance Pack, total output is 380 kW and 910 Nm. Adjustable one-pedal drive is included, as well as an electric Torque Vectoring Dual Clutch function on the rear axle – an evolution of what was first developed for Polestar 1. A decoupling function is also available for the rear electric motor, allowing the car to run only on the front electric motor to save energy under certain circumstances.

 

Advanced chassis control is provided by dual-chamber air suspension as standard, allowing Polestar 3 to adapt between comfort and dynamic suspension characteristics, and the car can adjust its active damper velocity electronically once every two milliseconds (500 Hz).

 

“Our goal was to offer the performance and precision that define all Polestar cars, without compromising the comfort of the daily drive,” says Joakim Rydholm, Polestar’s chief chassis engineer. “To do this, we used new components like the adaptive air suspension to engineer the ‘Polestar feeling’ for this type of car.”

 

A 111 kWh battery pack provides Polestar 3 with generous driving range of up to 610 km WLTP^[2] (preliminary). The lithium-ion battery features a prismatic cell design housed in a protective aluminium case with boron steel reinforcement and liquid cooling. A heat pump is included as standard, helping Polestar 3 utilise ambient heat for climate- and battery preconditioning. Polestar 3 is also equipped for bidirectional charging, enabling future potential for vehicle-to-grid and plug-and-charge capabilities.

 

As with Polestar 2, the list of standard equipment in Polestar 3 is extensive, with few options for easy configuration and simplified production logistics. All versions include air suspension, a full-length panoramic glass roof, all-LED lighting inside and out, retractable door handles with proximity sensing, and 21-inch alloy wheels. The Plus Pack and Pilot Pack are fitted as standard for the first model year and include a raft of premium, luxury and convenience features like a 25-speaker audio system from Bowers & Wilkins with 3D surround sound and Dolby Atmos capability, soft-closing doors, a head-up display and Pilot Assist.

 

Available to order from the second quarter of 2023, the optional Pilot Pack with LiDAR from Luminar will add an additional control unit from NVIDIA, three cameras, four ultrasonic sensors and cleaning for the front- and rear-view cameras, providing accurate real-time data about the car’s surroundings especially in the long-range field. This enables enhanced 3D scanning of the car’s surroundings in greater detail and helps prepare the car for autonomous driving.

 

The optional Performance Pack sharpens driving dynamics even further and includes the maximum power and torque output (380 kW and 910 Nm), along with performance optimisation for the air suspension, unique 22-inch forged alloy wheels and additional signature ‘Swedish gold’ details.

 

Polestar 3 is the first car out on a new all-electric technology base developed by and shared with Volvo Cars. Production for initial launch markets^[3] is planned to begin in Volvo Cars’ facility in Chengdu, China, in an incremental ramp-up phase^[3] from mid-2023, with first deliveries expected in the fourth quarter of 2023.

 

Additional manufacturing at Volvo Cars’ Ridgeville, South Carolina facility in the United States, is expected to follow towards the middle of 2024 – from which point supply to North American and other markets is planned to switch from China to the US. Initial deliveries from this factory are expected around the middle of 2024.

 

At launch, the Polestar 3 Long range Dual motor (360 kW, 840 Nm) is available with an indicative launch price of EUR 89,900^[1]. Orders commence online from 12 October 2022 in all initial launch markets^[3] with full specification available at Polestar.com/polestar-3.

Polestar has opened their factory in Chengdu, China to begin production of the Polestar 1.  The factory was designed to achieve a Gold status LEED certification.

The Polestar 1 is a luxury hybrid coupe that boasts over 600 horsepower and 1,000 nm (738 lb-ft) of torque and an electric only range of 93 miles. It is a limited production run of 500 vehicles per year and most of the early allocations are sold out. 

One other announcement came with the factory press release.  Polestar has filed for and received their World Manufacturing Identifier, basically their character in the VIN that identifies them.  This means that Polestar manufactured vehicles will not have a Volvo VIN but a Polestar VIN instead.  Polestar will still apply their performance technology know-how to higher performance Volvos. 

The Polestar brand, a sub-brand of Volvo, is launching in the U.S. this fall.  The first vehicle, the Polestar 1 is a 600 horsepower plug-in hybrid coupe, and if you have not already signed up for one, you are too late, the US allotment is already sold. 

The bigger player for Polestar is the Polestar 2 (pictured above), a 5 door fastback electric vehicle with 408 horsepower and 275 mile range. The Polestar 2 is based on Volvo's CMA platform that is used under the the Volvo XC40 crossover. It will be built in China at the beginning of 2020 and arriving in dealerships in Q2. Polestar 2 is the vehicle expected to define the brand going forward.

Later, for 2022, the Polestar 3 will arrive using the next generation of the SPA platform that is used under all Volvo's except the XC40. It will be a crossover coupe, but no word yet on the choice of power. 

Polestar hopes to be selling more than 100,000 units a year globally in 5 to 7 years. 

Polestar is beginning to drop hints on their next model, the 2 which is expected to debut sometime next year.

Autocar spoke with Polestar COO Jonathan Goodman at this weekend's Goodwood Festival of Speed. Goodman said the Polestar 2 will be the brand's entry level model and compete directly with the Tesla Model 3.

"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," said Goodman.

Autocar says the 2's design will closely follow the 40.2 concept shown a couple years back. The report also says that the 2 will have up to 400 horsepower and a max range of 350 miles. Pricing is expected to begin around £30,000 (about $39,690).

Goodman also talked about the possible dangers of designing electric vehicles to look futuristic or quirky considering how much the global market for these vehicles is expected to grow.

“The global electric car market was worth four million units in 2017, but it’s quite widely expected to be worth 29m 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," explained Goodman.

"Other brands may be doing that, but if we’re looking at a market worth 30m 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.”

Source: Autocar