Polestar Models: Your quick guide

While there will be an extremely limited line-up of just a single vehicle to begin with – the Polestar 2 sedan – more Polestar models are coming.

Each Polestar model carries a simple numerical badge – following Sweden’s renowned love affair with minimalism.

Unlike many Volvo models, all Polestars are being built at the brand’s Chengdu plant in China.

Here’s our quick guide to all the Polestars we know about so far…

Polestar 1

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Polestar’s first model was unveiled in late 2017 but started life four years earlier – as the stunning Volvo Concept Coupe that previewed a potential future S60 coupe.

Although the Polestar 1 adopted that concept’s shape, its body was made from super-stiff and super-lightweight carbon fibre (with the assistance of Swedish supercar maker Koenigsegg).

For the 2+2 GT’s drivetrain, Polestar took Volvo’s T8 plug-in hybrid set-up – but added an extra electric motor to the rear axle.

A combination of 2.0-litre supercharged/turbocharged petrol (driving the front wheels) and dual electric rear motors produced outputs of nearly 450kW and 1000Nm. Rear-axle torque vectoring, Akabono brakes and an Öhlins continuously electronically controlled suspension aimed to give the Polestar 1 a more dynamic on-road experience than your average GT.

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And as a car capable of operating on electric power alone for up to 150 kilometres, Polestar claimed the 1 offered the longest range of any hybrid. Last orders are now being taken for the limited-run Polestar 1 – though as a left-hand-drive vehicle only, it has never been on the cards for Australia.

It wouldn’t have been cheap, mind. In the UK, for example, it cost about $250,000.

Polestar 2

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Another model that was originally a Volvo concept – in this case 2016’s 40.2. This five-door fastback is Polestar’s first all-electric car and its first global/volume model – available in both RHD and LHD.

The Polestar 2 shares its Compact Modular Architecture (CMA) platform with the Volvo XC40 compact SUV (which was previewed by the 40.1 concept).

Featuring an electric motor on the front and rear axles for all-wheel drive and combined outputs of 300kW and 660Nm, the 2 has a quoted 0-100km/h time of less than five seconds.

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A 78kWh lithium-ion battery pack provides a relatively generous estimated driving range of 500km (based on Europe’s WLTP driving cycle).

An optional Performance Pack available in overseas markets adds Brembo front brakes, adjustable Öhlins dampers and 20-inch forged-alloy wheels (plus gold seatbelts and valve caps).

There’s also some noteworthy infotainment. The Polestar 2 was one of the first cars in the world to feature a new Google Android system that, via an 11.0-inch touchscreen, serves as the interface for vehicle functions and apps, and includes Google Assistant, Maps and the Play Store.

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As a Volvo sister brand, safety remains an important consideration, naturally – and as the first Polestar to be independently crash-tested, the 2 has scored consistently high marks to register a five-star Euro NCAP rating.

Australian pricing for the model, that can be considered a rival for the likes of the Tesla Model 3, starts at $59,900 for the Standard Range Single Motor, before rising to $64,990 for the Long Range Single Motor and $69,900 for the Long Range Dual Motor.

However, the latter has significantly less equipment than the Volvo with which it shares its platform and electric drivetrain.

A $5000 Pilot Pack and $6000 Plus Pack are both needed to match the electric XC40 in terms of equipment, with an $8000 Performance Pack also exclusively available for only the Dual Motor variant.

Polestar 3 (due 2022)

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Although the Polestar 2 is a high-riding fastback, the Polestar 3 will properly take the brand into the realm of performance SUVs – a segment it simply can’t ignore, owing to dominant popularity of the body style globally.

So far, the 3 has only been officially described as “a larger, SUV-style BEV”, though Polestar’s head designer, Max Missoni, has revealed to media that its design will be influenced by the company’s striking 2020 concept, the Precept.

As the Precept previewed a fresh design language for Polestar, the 3’s styling should make a departure from the 1 and 2 models that have obvious Volvo links.

The Polestar 3, which is expected to share its ‘SPA2’ platform with the third-generation Volvo XC90 large SUV, should make a natural rival for electric SUVs such as the Audi E-Tron, Jaguar I-Pace, Mercedes EQC and Tesla Model X.

Polestar 4 (due 2023/2024)

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Details are sparse at this stage, but Polestar has revealed the 4 will be a smaller SUV than the Polestar 3 – proving that the numerical sequencing is not related to vehicle size.

The company says the Polestar 4 will have a “coupe-style roofline”, suggesting it could be a twin to Volvo’s C40 Recharge – what is essentially a differently-styled version of the XC40 compact SUV.

Polestar 5

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The production version of Polestar’s striking Precept concept car will carry the Polestar 5 name and take the fight to the Porsche Taycan and Tesla Model S.

The four-seater electric GT was originally intended to showcase the brand’s future in terms of design language, sustainable materials and digital technology, before a positive media and public reception prompted Polestar to put the Precept onto the assembly line.

That assembly line will be different to one on which the Polestar 2 rolls along. Polestar has confirmed the Precept production model will be built at a new facility, though still in China.

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No powertrain details have yet been divulged; we merely know the car will be fully electric, as with all future Polestars (and all Volvos from 2030 onwards).

Indicating the Precept’s importance for the Chinese market, rear legroom and headroom are said to be priorities. This will be helped by a wheelbase reported to be more than three metres in length.

The production vehicle is also planned to feature some of the sustainable interior materials showcased in the Precept concept, which included carpets made from reclaimed fishing nets, seats made primarily from recycled PET bottles, and bolsters and headrests made from recycled cork vinyl.