Polestar 2 electric car gets update with cheaper and longer range options, heat pump, and more

Polestar announced today the launch of new variants of the Polestar 2, the Swedish brand’s first all-electric car.

Cheaper and longer range versions are now available.

Polestar was Volvo’s performance brand, but it was rebranded and relaunched recently as an electric vehicle brand.

Last year, they have launched the Polestar 2, an all-electric fastback car, which has been well-received for its strong design and its Android Automotive OS-powered infotainment system.

But only the Launch Edition Polestar 2 has been available with dual motor and a range of 233 miles, according to the EPA estimate.

Now Polestar is announcing new versions and options for the Polestar 2:

There are some visual differences between the new variants, but they retain the original design of the electric vehicle:

“The Polestar 2 continues its progressive sustainability and design narrative across all variants. Exterior and interior design is largely indistinguishable between the three models, making each version of Polestar 2 just as attractive and enjoyable as the next. These minimum specs include 19-inch wheels, signature LED light designs front and rear, and drag-reducing frameless mirrors. Much like the WeaveTech vegan upholstery introduced in 2020, the new embossed textile upholstery is a vegan material and is available in two color executions, both matched to 3D-etched décor panels. Other notable standard features include an 8-speaker high performance stereo, front- and rear parking sensors, and a rear backup camera.”

Under the hood, so to speak, is where things change with a new motor configuration.

Polestar is introducing a single motor version of the vehicle, which will be cheaper and achieve a longer range of about 260 miles on a single charge:

“The new single motor Polestar 2 is a formidable entrant to the premium EV segment. The single motor Polestar 2 retains the 78 kWh battery of the dual motor variants, enabling the vehicle to deliver an EPA range of approximately 260 miles. The car will go even further on a charge when fitted with the new Plus Pack, thanks to the addition of a heat pump. The single motor Polestar 2 also features 231 hp, up from the 204 hp on each axle of the dual motor variant.”

The Plus Pack referenced above includes a more premium interior, exterior, and convenience equipment, including a full-length panoramic glass roof, a premium Harman Karmon audio system with 13 speakers, WeaveTech vegan upholstery, Black Ash wood deco panels, fully electric heated front seats with memory, heated rear seats, heated steering wheel, and heated wiper blades.

It also includes a heat pump for better efficiency:

“The new heat pump reduces the need to rely on valuable battery charge in order to heat the interior of the Polestar 2, enabling further overall driving range. It captures ambient heat and residual thermal energy from the drivetrain in order to reduce the climate draw on the battery by as much as 50%. In colder climates this has a great impact on range, and at an exterior temperature of 40-60 degrees Fahrenheit the vehicle can gain as much as 10% more range. Polestar’s ongoing development of the system also means that future range improvements can be deployed via complimentary OTA updates.”

The new Plus Pack can also be applied to the new “non-launch edition” dual motor configuration.

Furthermore, two new packages are going to be available for the Polestar 2:

• The Pilot Pack includes enhanced safety and driver assistance features, such as the Pixel LED headlights with LED front fog lights, Driver Assistance with Adaptive Cruise Control and Pilot Assist, a 360-degree surround view camera, all-round parking sensors, and Driver Awareness including Blind Spot Information System (BLIS) with steering support, Cross Traffic Alert with brake support and Rear Collision Warning.
• The Performance Pack remains available for the dual-motor Polestar 2. This package includes four adjustable Öhlins suspension dampers, enhanced Brembo brakes with low-drag calipers, forged 20-inch alloy wheels mated to sport tires, and signature ‘Swedish gold’ aesthetic details both inside and out.

In Europe, Polestar is also planning to launch a version of the single motor Polestar with a smaller battery pack, but it doesn’t look like that model is coming to North America based on the US press release:

In Europe, Polestar says that these changes bring the price of the Polestar 2 to a 40,000 to 60,000 euros range.

Prices in North America will be announced in the coming weeks.

In the US, the Polestar 2 currently starts at $60,000, and we can expect that to go down a bit with the single motor version and dual motor without the optional packages.