The upcoming Polestar 3 will arrive in Long Range and Performance trim levels with both using the same battery.
Polestar is all set to reveal its latest new electric car – the Polestar 3. The new EV will be the third bespoke Polestar model and is due to be unveiled on October 12 at an exclusive event in Denmark. Customers will be able to pre-order the car straight after its unveiling and we’ve discovered full pricing and specification for the UK ahead of time, indicating the car will cost well over $100,000 in Australia.
Pitched as a rival to the Audi e-tron, Mercedes EQC and BMW iX, the Polestar 3 will cost from £79,845 (AUD$136,000) in the UK – placing it squarely in the middle of the premium, all-electric family SUV sector. Just one 107kWh battery will be available from launch, offered in two states of tune.
We’ve already been given plenty of exterior teasers of Polestar’s new SUV, with the latest undisguised images showing the rear, alongside the forthcoming Polestar 5. There’s a full-width rear light bar and a similar rear bumper design to the Polestar 2. A panoramic glass roof panel that curves down towards the rear roof spoiler gives the Polestar 3 a sportier profile.
That rear spoiler isn’t the only aerodynamic feature on show either. In a recent image posted by Polestar we could see air vents at the front of the bonnet, flush-fitting door handles and vents behind the rear wheels. Wide rear haunches lead into a C-pillar not too dissimilar from the Volvo C40’s and the front has a pinched leading edge which all helps to give the Polestar 3 a sportier look.
Polestar had previously claimed the Polestar 3 would offer 600km miles of range, but the entry-level Long Range version is claimed to reach 610km. It uses a 111kWh battery (107kWh useable) and a dual-electric motor set-up, sending 365kW and 840Nm of torque to the wheels. The Long Range will go from 0-100km/h in five seconds and on to a top speed of 210km/h.
Above this there’s the Performance model at £85,445 (AUD$145,000), which unsurprisingly is a more performance-focused version. While it uses the same battery as the Long Range, it has 380kW and 910Nm of torque, resulting in a 0-100km/h time of 4.7 seconds. Range drops to 560km.
The Polestar 3 will sit on the new SPA2 platform, which is an evolution of the first SPA (Scalable Product Architecture) used by the brand. It has been designed to cater for cars including the next Volvo S60 and V60, as well as the larger S90 and V90 models. Smaller Volvos and Polestars, such as the 2, use the CMA architecture, underpinning the XC40 Recharge and the new C40. We expect to see it also underpin the new Polestar 5, but not the smaller Polestar 4.
SPA2 is scheduled to underpin the next Volvo XC90, but where Volvo’s SUV will major on ride comfort, the Polestar version will have sportier chassis settings.
Thomas Ingenlath, Polestar CEO, previously told us, “Polestar 3 is the SUV for the electric age. Our design identity evolves with this high-end large luxury EV, with a strong, individual brand character. With this car, we bring the ‘sport’ back to the SUV, staying true to our performance roots.”
The size of the new Polestar 3 is similar to the BMW iX, however the Performance model will sit 13mm lower than the standard car, most likely due to a shorter, stiffer suspension set-up. The Performance also adds 22-inch wheels over the standard Polestar 3’s 21-inch rims. Both cars will feature the same charging rate, with Polestar claiming a recharge from 10 to 80 per cent with 250kW charger will take 30 minutes
Alastair Crooks