Polestar reveals details of upcoming electric SUV

Thomas Ingenlath, the CEO of Swedish premium all-electric car brand Polestar, this week unveiled new details of the coming Polestar 3 electric SUV, which is due to be released in 2022 as part of the company’s aggressive release schedule.

Having already released the Polestar 1 plug in hybrid coupe and the Polestar 2 EV crossover, Polestar will release the Polestar 3 SUV in 2022.

We haven’t seen much about the Polestar 3 yet – only a teaser image of the car draped in cloth released in June.

However, speaking to American automotive magazine Car and Driver this week, Ingenlath gave some details of what we can look forward to with the Polestar 3.

Firstly, and to little surprise given the relatively low roofline evident in the June image, Ingenlath confirmed that there will only be two rows of seats. This is despite the fact that the Polestar 3 will be manufactured in the United States, where customers often want three rows of seating.

Moreover, the Polestar 3 will be built at the South Carolina plant that is not only building the Volvo S60 but will also be building the next-generation XC90.

“I have nothing against three-rows per se, but the second we did do that you guys would be asking what was the differentiation to the XC90?” said Ingenlath.

“Having two rows gives the opportunity to give the car that aerodynamic roofline, it gives the chance to emphasize the space between the first and second rows, which really gives the second row a luxurious feeling.”

Ingenlath also promised that the Polestar 3 will be offered with a powertrain that gives “a top power position that is unique to Polestar,” and therefore beyond what EV versions of the XC90 will be able to produce. Polestar will also offer single-motor and dual-motor versions – as it did with the Polestar 2.

“I definitely see that as a good combination,” said Ingenlath. “At the end of the day the twin motor has a bit more power and acceleration, but there are lots of people who don’t need that thrill. And there are lots of people who don’t need all-wheel drive.

“So, in Norway or Austria we will always sell more all-wheel drive. But in China or the US lots of people are happy with the single motor.”

In addition to the coming Polestar 3, Ingenlath also doubled down on the company’s promise to building a production version of the Polestar Precept concept, which it originally confirmed in mid-2020.

Ingenlath also expects that the Polestar 3 will help propel the company’s total production to over 100,000 vehicles. However, he also confirmed that Polestar will not be returning to top-flight racing, despite the brand’s origins tracing back to running touring cars for Volvo.

“We have so many things to concentrate on, I don’t think our customers would understand if we were to indulge in that,” Ingenlath said, although he suggested lower-level collaborations could still happen.