The new Polestar 3 will be a family-friendly SUV model powered by electricity alone.
Polestar has given us a new look at the upcoming Polestar 3, the third bespoke model to come from Volvo’s all-electric sister brand. Due to be unveiled on October 12 at an exclusive event in Denmark, customers will be able to pre-order the car from that point onwards.
Pricing for the new Polestar 3 has already been revealed. Pitched as a rival to the Audi e-tron, Mercedes EQC and BMW iX, the Polestar 3 will cost from £79,845 (AUD$133,000) – 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 and the latest image is an undisguised look at the rear end. It highlights the full-width rear light bar and a similar bumper design to the Polestar 2, it’s still a fairly conventional take on the SUV style, however.
Other images have shown the Polestar 3 alongside the forthcoming Polestar 5. We know it’ll be available with a panoramic glass roof panel that curves down towards the rear roof spoiler and 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.
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.”
He added, “it’s this instant ability to transform from a comfortable cruiser to a sharp, agile performance car in less than the blink of an eye that makes Polestar 3 special as an electric performance SUV.”
Alastair Crooks