Polestar has revealed new battery tech for its all-electric ‘2’, which gives the crossover-hatchback more power, a better range, and faster charging capabilities.
The stylish Polestar 2 first hit UK roads back in 2020 and immediately caught the eye with its minimalist design and abundance of power.
It’s a lease car with a bulging trophy cabinet, too, having picked up a clutch of industry awards, including a ‘Best All-Rounder’ prize from BBC Top Gear Magazine.
There are a few versions available, including the top of the range ‘Long range Dual motor’ Polestar 2, which has a 78 kWh battery, potent power of 408 hp and a range of between 279-298 miles, even making it onto our top 10 longest range EVs of 2022.
But at the entry-level of the scale you’ve also got the more affordable ‘Standard range Single motor’. And it’s this model that Polestar has announced a major update for.
The Polestar 2 ‘Standard range Single motor’ used to boast a 64 kWh battery, power of 224 hp and a range of 260-273 miles.
However it now gets a higher capacity 69 kWh battery with ‘improved cell chemistry’ that also now equates to an extended range of up to 294 miles.
An extra 20 plus miles between charges is not to be sniffed it, particularly if range anxiety is perhaps putting you off from jumping on the all-electric bandwagon.
This new battery also now supports faster charging, at speeds of up to 130 kW DC.
And the good news keeps on coming - as power output has also been shunted up from the previous 224 hp to 228 hp.
So how does that all stack up when compared with the Tesla Model 3?
Comparing base models, they’re pretty darned close. The rear-wheel drive Model 3 can cover up to 305 miles between charges and can hit 60 mph from a standstill in 5.8 seconds.
The Polestar 2 takes slightly longer to reach that 60mph mark, at 7 seconds, but the 2 is cheaper to buy outright, and to lease, than the Model 3.
Polestar - a firm born out of a collaboration between Volvo and Chinese firm Zhejiang Geely Holding - has also been talking this week about efforts to become more sustainable as a manufacturer.
Polestar CEO, Thomas Ingenlath, revealed:
“We have revisited materials and processes that go into making Polestar 2, introducing updates that reduce the climate impact and increase material traceability of this award-winning car. These are important additions to how we can improve cars over their lifetime – not just with functionality and design updates but addressing sustainability and carbon footprint as well.”
Meanwhile Fredrika Klarén, Polestar’s Head of Sustainability, adds:
“A first pilot has been rolled out, replacing the aluminium in the wheels with low-carbon aluminium that is produced using renewable energy. We expect this to result in a 600 kg CO2e reduction per car for Polestar 2 in the second half of the year. Together with the improvements to aluminium in the battery tray, we’re expecting to see a total reduction of around 1,350 kg per car.”
What that means for lease customers right now is that there’s a new and improved optional Nappa leather upholstery up for grabs, with greater sustainability credentials.
There’s also two new paint job options - ‘Space’ and ‘Jupiter’ - as well as fresh 19 inch wheels, an improved optional heat pump, and a more efficient cabin air filtration system.
What’s more, the optional ‘Performance Pack’ now includes a software update that boosts power to 469 hp and torque to 680 Nm.
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