Polestar
Polestar is almost ready to start selling its next electric vehicle here in the US. The Polestar 3 SUV has finally gone into production, and the automaker says deliveries to US customers should start in the second quarter of this year. That’s a little behind schedule—in October 2022, we were told that the Polestar 3 would go on sale here toward the end of 2023.
There’s just one powertrain at launch, the Polestar 3 long-range dual motor, which starts at $73,400. This offers 489 hp (365 kW) and 620 lb-ft (840 Nm), which should give the EV a range of about 315 miles (507 km) from its 111 kWh battery pack. And Polestar is making the Pilot Pack standard equipment, which includes a head-up display and some advanced driver assistance systems.
There will also be the Polestar 3 with the Plus Pack, for $78,900. This adds different 21-inch wheels, an upgraded interior with either “MicroTech” fabric or wool covering the seats, heated rear seats to go with the heated front seats, and an upgraded Bowers and Wilkins sound system with 25 speakers and a subwoofer.
For those who want a little more performance from their Polestar 3, there’s also the Performance Pack. Combined with the Pilot Pack, it will cost $79,400. This adds larger 22-inch wheels but also uprates the powertrain’s output to 517 hp (386 kW) and 671 lb-ft (910 Nm), dropping the 0–60 mph time from 5 seconds down to 4.6 seconds. Polestar also tweaks the suspension for better handling and adds “Swedish Gold” details to the car, including the seatbelts.
Finally, for the “I’ve got to have it all” customer, you can combine the Pilot, Plus, and Performance packs, albeit at a cost of $84,900. However, if you do spec the Performance Pack, your range will suffer—the larger wheels and higher output means you’ll only be able to go 279 miles (450 km) on a single charge. All Polestar 3s can DC fast charge at up to 250 kW.
The Polestar 3 will be eligible for the $7,500 clean vehicle tax credit if leased, but even once production begins in South Carolina later this year (as opposed to Chengdu in China), it’s unlikely to qualify for the credit if purchased outright.
There have been concerns about Polestar’s funding of late—in early February Volvo revealed it planned to give its shares, which amount to 48 percent of Polestar, to parent company Geely. However, by the end of February, Polestar had secured $950 million from a consortium of banks.