Polestar 2 EV crossover will be in Australia by November 2021

The upcoming Polestar 2 electric vehicle – a coupe-like five-door liftback with a raised SUV stance – will make its Australian debut just before this year is out.

In a statement released today, the electric-only Swedish brand – owned alongside former parent Volvo by Chinese company Geely – confirmed a November window for its first Australian offering.

“Polestar sees considerable potential in the Australian market, which is why it will be one of the first markets to launch as part of the company’s Asia Pacific expansion,” said Polestar Australia boss Samantha Johnson, speaking at a pre-launch event in Sydney with branding outfit Semi Permanent and streetwear lifestyle publisher High Snobiety – a collaboration that likely hints a little at where Polestar sees its Australian demographic.

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Polestar’s Australian launch will come roughly one year after it launched in the US, where customer deliveries of the Polestar 2 began in December 2020 – a few months later than intended, thanks to COVID-19.

Australian buyers will be directed primarily to the Polestar website to initiate the sales and test-drive experience, although physical ‘Polestar Spaces’ will also be established – and the entire operation will run separately to the Volvo business.

The number and location of Polestar spaces is still to be announced, but the company has confirmed buyers can expect to see retail-like stores in shopping areas, hinting at a model inspired by its natural rival, the American brand Tesla.

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The Polestar 2 was first revealed in March 2019 at the Geneva motor show, debuting with a 78kW battery pack, all-wheel drive with two motors, a claimed 500-kilometre driving range, and outputs of 300kW and 660Nm – numbers which the brand says should ensure a 0-100km/h time of “less than” 5.0 seconds.

In April 2021, the company revealed lower-specification variants, starting with a single-motor, front-wheel-drive 64kWh version (165kW/330Nm; 420-440km range), and another FWD with the flagship 78kWh pack but again only one motor – resulting in 170kW and 330Nm, and a driving range between 515-535 kilometres.

Australian pricing for the Polestar 2 hasn’t been revealed, but in the UK the range begins at around the equivalent of AU$72,000. Overseas pricing is, of course, not always a predictor of what to expect locally.

For more on the Polestar brand, see our links below.

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