The Polestar 3. Source: Polestar
Polestar says its soon-to-be unveiled electric SUV will come in a dual motor format only, along with its previously advised high specs and corresponding high prices.
The Sweden-based all-electric brand will unveil the Polestar 3 – tipped for an early 2023 arrival in Australia – on October 12, and has just released new teaser images to further fuel interest in the release.
Polestar has not yet revealed all the specs and details but what we do know is the EV maker is promising a swathe of high-performance tech and a total rethink of what an electric SUV should look like.
First up, the latest image from Polestar reveals a full-width light bar on the tail with a similar look to the Polestar 2. A panoramic sunroof sloping down to the rear spoiler presents a sportier look than your average SUV.
Previous images reveal a sleek profile for an SUV. With an audience partial to the Porsche Macan in its sights, the Polestar 3 offers a panoramic sunroof, wide rear haunches for a solid stance and flush door handles.
Key to the Polestar 3’s tech-savvy proposal will be high-quality safety technology, and high-performance specifications.
The Polestar 3 is based on the scalable Volvo modular system SPA2. This is instead of the CMA platform that the Polestar 2 is built on. It will be offered with one single battery option with 110kWh (107kWh usable) capacity. This should allow for ranges of up to 600 kilometres.
Its rear-biased dual motor configuration is coupled with electric torque vectoring thanks to a dual clutch system. This, says Polestar, means the Polestar 3 will drive superbly on curves as well as straight roads.
“It’s this instant ability to transform from a comfortable cruiser to a sharp, agile performance car in less than the blink of an eye that makes Polestar 3 special as an electric performance SUV,” said Polestar boss Thomas Ingelnath in a statement.
“It also benefits from a low centre of gravity and wide track for ultimate stability, and an exciting feeling behind the wheel.”
Adaptive air suspension with a comfort and firm option is adjusted every two milliseconds to react to road conditions.
In July, Ingenlath stated at the Automotive News Europe Congress in Prague that the company plans to price the next Polestar 3 between $US75,000 and $US110,000, or approximately $A110,000 to $A162,000.
In keeping with the Polestar 3’s high-performance roots, some have speculated the 3 will utilise the new Polestar P10 motor. Past reports estimated it will deliver up to 450kW of power on the rear axle and up to 650kW in a dual motor set up, making it up to 50% more powerful than the Porsche Taycan.
The latest information from Polestar puts this claim to rest. A Performance pack option will deliver 380kW power output and 980Nm torque for instantaneous power.
According to the Polestar, the Polestar 3 will be kitted out with numerous safety components shared with Volvo’s next generation of electric cars.
Equipped with the Luminar lidar sensor and a central computer from Nvidia, the electric SUV is said to be capable of level 4 autonomous driving on the freeway.
According to Polestar, it also offers 360-degree environment recognition and a driver monitoring system thanks to automotive eye tracking company Smart Eye.
As usual for previous Polestar models, the interior will be high-quality and sophisticated.
The manufacturer also promises “industry-leading connectivity functions.” As with the Polestar 2, it will use the Android Automotive OS infotainment system from Google.
Polestar plans to launch a new vehicle every year until 2024. By 2030, it says it will expand into at least 30 markets worldwide.
Bridie Schmidt is associate editor for The Driven, sister site of Renew Economy. She has been writing about electric vehicles since 2018, and has a keen interest in the role that zero-emissions transport has to play in sustainability. She has participated in podcasts such as Download This Show with Marc Fennell and Shirtloads of Science with Karl Kruszelnicki and is co-organiser of the Northern Rivers Electric Vehicle Forum. Bridie also owns a Tesla Model Y and has it available for hire on evee.com.au.
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