Polestar, the battery electric vehicle brand owned by Geely Auto Group announced Thursday that its Polestar 2 Single Motor battery electric crossover vehicle will start at $45,900, not including a $7,500 Federal tax credit and other state or local incentives, making it the lowest-priced vehicle in the Polestar lineup. And with an EPA rated range of 270 miles, the Polestar 2 Single Motor will have the longest range in the Polestar lineup.
“The single-motor Polestar 2 can be had for under $35,000 in states like New Jersey, making it one of the most compelling offerings on the market,” said Gregor Hembrough, Head of Polestar North America.
For a little more than a year-and-a-half, Polestar had offered its Polestar 2 with two electric motors, one on each axle, and all-wheel drive. The new model will offer greater range, a lower price, but less performance.
As reported by TheDetroitBureau.com in September 2021, the Polestar 2 will now come two models: The front-wheel-drive Polestar 2 Single Motor delivers 231 horsepower and 243 pound-feet of torque, along with a range of 270 miles, the Polestar 2 Single Motor will have the longest range in the Polestar lineup. It will join the existing all-wheel-drive Polestar 2 Dual Motor, with 408 horsepower and 487 pound-feet of torque and 249 miles of range.
All Polestar 2 models come with the first infotainment system that uses Android Automotive OS with Google integration and Over-The-Air updates.
“The Polestar 2 exudes the brand’s leadership in cutting-edge technology,” Hembrough said.
Other updates for 2022
A new addition to the options list is the $4,000 Plus Pack, which has a mechanical heat pump that extends vehicle range, as well as a panoramic glass roof, 13-speaker Harman Kardon audio system, and vegan interior upholstery. A $3,200 Pilot Pack adds adaptive cruise control, blind spot detection and other features.
In addition, the automaker has updated the vehicle’s software that allows for quicker DC charging, and the ability to schedule charging sessions.
Part of an expanding lineup
The new Polestar model debuts as the company is ramping up plans to expand its model range, starting with two new SUVs.
The first, the Polestar 3, is scheduled to launch later this year, and will the brand’s first model to be built at a plant in Ridgeville, South Carolina, near Charleston. It will share the assembly line with the Volvo S60 and the next-generation XC90. It will be followed in 2023 by the Polestar 4, a coupe-like BEV expected to take on the likes of the upcoming Porsche Macan EV. They will be followed in 2025 by the Polestar 5, the automaker’s new flagship and, like the original Polestar 1, possessing a high-performance passenger car design. The car should resemble Polestar’s Precept concept vehicle, first unveiled in 2020 and followed by the Polestar 02 Concept revealed earlier this month.
Polestars first model, the Polestar 1 gas-electric hybrid, is no longer in production, leaving the automaker as a manufacturer solely of EVs.
A growing dealer network, and sales goal
Polestar currently has retail locations in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Orange County (California), New York City, Denver, Boston, Central and Southern New Jersey, Dallas, Austin, Detroit, Minneapolis, Phoenix, Seattle, Atlanta, Charlotte, Connecticut, South Florida and Washington, D.C., and offers test drives and service within 150 miles of any Polestar store.
The new EV brand met its internal sales target of 29,000 vehicles worldwide in 2021, with the Polestar 2 accounting for most of the volume. With new models expected to come on line later this year, it’s little wonder that the company expects sales to grow 185% to 65,000 cars in 2022.
But given the war in the Ukraine, skyrocketing inflation and parts shortages, it remains to be seen whether that goal is realistic. Then there’s Tesla, whose new factory in Germany and forthcoming factory in Austin promises to increase its challenge to the Chinese-owned Polestar. But with 19 markets at its disposal, Polestar might be able to pull it off.