For the second time this month, Volvo’s all-electric sub-brand Polestar is recalling all of its Polestar 2 EVs, to deal with a faulty inverter. It will also address a potential cooling issue during the recall repair visit.
The issues are not only a problem for the owners of the brand’s first all-electric effort – Polestar 1 is a hybrid – but they are also likely to cause some production delays on the Polestar 2. So for buyers waiting to take delivery of their new vehicles, the wait is likely to be a bit longer, although how much longer is unknown at this point.
The Swedish-inspired, Chinese-owned electric brand needs to make some updates on nearly all of the 4,600 Polestar 2 sedans it’s sold thus far. The first all-electric offering from the Geely-owned brand hit the streets in August.
(Polestar set to open first U.S. dealerships.)
The recall requires the replacement of faulty inverters for 4,586 vehicles. The inverters transform stored battery energy into the power needed to drive the electric motors. If not working properly, the motors won’t work, which is problematic.
The second issue, which is being classified as a voluntary service campaign, involves the high-voltage coolant heater. This unit handles the heating for the vehicle’s interior cabin as well as the high-voltage batteries. The company needs to remove and replace sub-par components from some of the early production vehicles. This affects 3,150 Polestar 2 sedans.
The company plans to notify owners of the issues starting Nov. 2. Both problems will be repaired at no cost in one visit. While the vehicles are in for the repairs, the company plans to make other upgrades that will allow future issues to be resolved using over-the-air updates rather than requiring the owner to bring the vehicle in for service.
(First Drive: 2021 Polestar 2.)
Polestar issued its first recall on the sedans Oct. 2. The vehicles were suffering with a software problem that could – and did – cause three cars to lose power and stop running. Owners of the 2,189 affected sedans were asked to take their vehicles in for service to resolve the problem. No accidents or injuries were reported as a result of the issue.
However, it clearly helped to set the stage for the additional updates it’s making to the vehicle while in the shop for the second recall. Not only does it make life easier for owners, is also cuts down on costs for the automaker.
Polestar 2 sedans are produced in China and then sold in Europe and the United States as well as China. None of the affected vehicles were in the U.S. as none have been delivered to customers here yet. The new brand is in the process of getting established in the U.S.
(Polestar putting Precept concept into production.)
In May, the company inked deals with its first set of U.S. dealers to sell and service the all-electric vehicles. The stores will be called “Polestar Spaces.” The nascent EV maker is partnering with several U.S. powerhouses, including Manhattan Motorcars, Galpin Motors and Price-Simms Automotive Group for its initial Polestar Space showrooms in New York City, Los Angeles and San Francisco – two “Spaces” on tap for the Bay Area. The automaker says it will next target Boston, Denver, Texas, Washington D.C. and Florida regions.