Volvo's Polestar 2 picks a fight with Tesla's Model 3

[Shawn Knight]

What just happened? Polestar, the performance subsidiary of Swedish automaker Volvo, revealed its latest project on Wednesday. The Polestar 2 is an all-electric fastback sedan designed to compete with the Tesla Model 3. Does it have a shot? Let’s have a closer look.

The Polestar 2 is the company’s first fully electric car and the first model to be produced in volume. The sedan is outfitted with dual electric motors – one per axle – that, together with its 78 kWh battery, produces 300 kW (408 horsepower) and 660 Nm (487 lb-ft of torque). This translates to a 0-100 km/h (0 to 62 mph) acceleration time of less than five seconds, Polestar claims.

The aforementioned 78 kWh battery is reportedly good for around 275 miles per charge based on EPA testing methods.

The Polestar 2 launch edition starts at $63,000 in the US before a $7,500 federal tax credit, effectively bringing the price down to $55,500. In the German market, the standard edition will begin at 39,900 euro, or around $45,000. Initial launch markets are said to include the US, China, Canada, Germany, Belgium, Norway, the Netherlands, the UK and of course, Sweden.

Polestar will show off its new vehicle at the 2019 Geneva International Motor Show in March before embarking on a global roadshow across North America, Europe and China over the course of 2019. Production is set to begin in China in 2020.

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https://www.techspot.com/news/78956-volvo-polestar-2-picks-fight-tesla-model-3.html

 

[VitalyT]

This translates to a 0-100 km/h (0 to 62 mph) acceleration time of less than five seconds, Polestar claims.

But according to tests on YouTube, it takes about 6.5 seconds, which makes it the slowest car with 400hp.

Ops, that was a 2019 V60, 400bhp Polestar with petrol engine, my mistake. Still, it was the slowest one among cars with 400bhp.

 

[toooooot]

This translates to a 0-100 km/h (0 to 62 mph) acceleration time of less than five seconds, Polestar claims.

But according to tests on YouTube, it takes about 6.5 seconds, which makes it the slowest car with 400hp.

thats really slow for electric.

 

[QuantumPhysics]

Volvo's reliability ratings are BELOW even Dodge and Chrysler (recent JD Power & Associates).

Personally, I like this design because it looks more like a "regular car".

As much as I loved driving the Model 3 PErformance, I absolutely hated the fact that basic things like "door locks", "steering column adjustment" and a speedometer are nowhere to be found. I don't like being forced to do everything through a center touchscreen.

I want certain controls to have system redundancy with physical buttons.

 

[Plutoisaplanet]

I just compared it to the equivalent Model 3 (dual motor) and here's what I found:
- It accelerates about as fast as a Model 3
- However you'll need to wait over a year longer to get it
3
- It only has the same amount of cargo space as a Model 3, a sedan
- It has 11% less range than the Model 3
- And it's $10,000+ more expensive than a Model 3

 

[Vulcanproject]

This translates to a 0-100 km/h (0 to 62 mph) acceleration time of less than five seconds, Polestar claims.

But according to tests on YouTube, it takes about 6.5 seconds, which makes it the slowest car with 400hp.

Where? In order for it to be that slow with these on paper stats the tyres had to be made out of cheese or it had to be in some sort of economy mode.

 

[p51d007]

275 miles between charges? Yeah, on FLAT ground, 72 degrees temperature, daylight, no AC, 1 person, no luggage LOL.

 

[mbrowne5061]

This translates to a 0-100 km/h (0 to 62 mph) acceleration time of less than five seconds, Polestar claims.

But according to tests on YouTube, it takes about 6.5 seconds, which makes it the slowest car with 400hp.

How are there Youtube tests if they only just announced that it exists? I believe you're thinking about the Polestar 1, not the 2 this article is talking about.

Unrelated, I wonder what the cold weather performance will be like? Given its origin country, I would hope at least better than average.

 

[VitalyT]

How are there Youtube tests if they only just announced that it exists? I believe you're thinking about the Polestar 1, not the 2 this article is talking about.

Unrelated, I wonder what the cold weather performance will be like? Given its origin country, I would hope at least better than average.

Yes, I've made a correction.