What's all this about?

Polestar, the standalone EV brand that was originally an offshoot from Volvo, has unveiled its third production model, the aptly named Polestar 3. On first glance at least, the Swedish brand’s new SUV has a lot going for it — it looks very good, it’s bound to be quick, the battery is massive, its range competitive and it’s set to be very safe indeed.

It looks good, doesn't it?

The shape and looks have been optimised for aerodynamic efficiency to help the Polestar 3 cut more cleanly through the air and reduce the impact on the battery range. Many of the design cues, including the headlights, are sourced from Polestar’s well-received Precept concept car but have been harmoniously translated into SUV form. One of the most notable styling/aero features is the front aero wing — a front spoiler integrated into the bonnet and channelled air by a slim opening where a grille might usually reside. It’s certainly distinctive and the company hinted that it could become a feature of Polestar models in future.

How's the interior?

Minimalist and tasteful are probably the best descriptors. An enormous 14.5-inch central touchscreen dominates the cabin with a smaller nine-inch screen serving as the driver’s instrument cluster. Underpinning the Polestar 3’s digital functions is an operating system co-developed between Polestar and Google making it similar to a fully-integrated version of Android Auto. Apple iPhone users can, of course, still connect to it. Making the cabin feel quite a bit more airy is the large panoramic glass roof overhead.

Spacious?

The Polestar 3 is a five-seater with 484 litres of space in the boot, expanding to 1,411 litres when the rear seats are folded down. There’s a 32-litre compartment under the bonnet too.

What's powering it?

For now, a massive 111kWh battery supplying power to two motors to develop 490hp and 841Nm of torque which, as standard means the Polestar 3 can sprint to 62mph in five seconds. Add the optional Performance Pack and those output figures increase to 517hp and 910Nm cutting the 0-62 dash to 4.7 seconds. The long-range dual-motor version of the Polestar 3 definitely needs those considerable reserves of power: it weighs in at a portly 2.6 tonnes, though it can tow a very useful 2.2 tonnes behind it. Like with the current Polestar 2, shorter-range and single-motor versions of the Polestar 3 are expected in time, some likely with longer ranges than the dual-motor's 379-mile offering.

You mentioned safety?

Unsurprisingly for a car from a company spawned from Volvo, safety is another area in which the Polestar 3 majors. The Polestar shares its platform with the upcoming Volvo EX90 (the electric successor to the XC90) and so does it share much of the technology behind what Volvo is already describing as its safest model yet. Sending information to the Polestar’s driver assistance and safety features are: five radar modules, five external cameras and 12 external ultrasonic sensors; and that’s just on totally standard models. For the first few months of production, all Polestar 3s will be fitted as standard with the Pilot Pack (set to become optional later on) which adds a lidar system, three more cameras, four more ultrasonic sensors and cleaning for the front- and rear-facing cameras. Inside, two closed-loop cameras monitor the driver’s eye patterns to check for signs of drowsiness or distraction, and if the system senses that the driver isn’t paying full attention to the road ahead, it can sound a warning or, in cases where the driver doesn’t respond, bring the car to a stop.

Any word on pricing and deliveries?

UK pricing for the long-range dual-motor Polestar 3 starts from £79,900, though expect something considerably on the lower side of that for the single-motor, standard-range models when they arrive. First deliveries are expected in the fourth quarter of 2023, with supply due to ramp up in 2024 once production switches to a new factory in the United States.

David Mullen - 19 Oct 2022