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The shooting star from the north
Most drivers are still not familiar with Polestar, but it isn’t all that new...
Once the sports arm of Volvo, Polestar now finds itself thrust into the limelight as the flagship electric vehicle.
While the Polestar 1 was introduced at the 2018 Geneva Motor Show as a high-performance Plug-in Hybrid coupe (600hp and 1000Nm), the Polestar 2 followed two years later as a safe 5-door 100% electric saloon. Strongly inspired by the Volvo models, its technical inner workings (platform, engine and battery) are based on those of the XC40 and C40 Recharge, the electric versions of the Swedish SUV. This technical mimicry continues on a visual level, with the design of the Polestar undeniably inspired by the Swedish manufacturer’s stylistic codes.
We test drove the Polestar 2 Long Range Single Motor, the two-wheel drive version with the large battery, on a long-distance trip from Luxembourg to Venice, during which we observed excellent levels of comfort and performance from this electric saloon, as well as its range and its charging speed at fast supercharger-type charging points.
With the exception of the lower seat height, the driving experience is similar to that of an XC40 with a similar on-board environment. The driving position and ergonomics are good, although we would have liked more scope for adjusting the height of the steering wheel. While you do get used to the touch-screen and voice-controlled infotainment system, which is generally efficient and performs well, it’s a shame that CarPlay isn’t (yet) supported and that the ABPR app, which is very useful for planning journeys and charging stops, didn't work properly during our trip.
On the whole, we were entirely satisfied with our Polestar under these conditions, with an average consumption of 21.6kWh/100km observed on a journey of around 2,200km. That said, although the official WLTP range is 542km, you shouldn't really plan to do more than 250km at a time on a motorway because the fast charging stops at around 80% and because it’s wise to leave yourself some room for manoeuvre (20%) in case you should encounter a faulty charging point, which is, unfortunately, all too common.
| Let’s finish with a quick look at the practical and financial aspects, which proved less appealing under these conditions. Indeed, with around ten charging stops across the return journey and an corresponding cost of more or less €350, this electric car is still not as appealing as the diesel equivalent, which would have required only two stops and cost around €250 for the same journey. |
Image source: © Polestar