Polestar 2

In short

• Built since March 2020 on Volvo's CMA platform, the base it shares with the Volvo XC40.
• Batteries of 69 to 82 kWh gross; WLTP range up to 540 km for the Long Range Single Motor.
• Euro NCAP 2021: five stars, with 93 % for adult occupants.
• German list prices ran from €45,500 (Standard Range, September 2021) to €68,490 (Dual Motor Performance, June 2024).

Polestar 2 at a glance

From Volvo concept to Polestar's first electric car

The shape goes back to the Volvo Concept 40.2, shown in 2016 next to the Concept 40.1 that became the XC40. Polestar unveiled the production car on 27 February 2019 and put it on display at the Geneva Motor Show that year. Production began in March 2020 at the Luqiao CMA Super Factory, and German Wikipedia dates the first customer deliveries to July 2020.

Cars for Europe go by train to Shanghai and by ship to Zeebrugge in Belgium, where they receive European approval before delivery. By November 2022 the factory had produced 100,000 cars. The first German showroom, a "Polestar Space", opened in Düsseldorf in August 2020.

The parent company has changed a lot since then. Polestar shares began trading on Nasdaq as PSNY on 24 June 2022, and in 2024 Volvo announced it would cut its stake from 48 to 18 per cent. In June 2026 Polestar said it would leave the US market after the Bureau of Industry and Security refused authorisation for model-year 2027 cars; existing owners there keep their service support. The background of the Chinese parent group is told in the history of Geely, and the Swedish side in Volvo's history.

Versions, batteries and performance

Until 2023 the single-motor cars drove the front wheels; since the 2024 model year they drive the rear wheels. The Dual Motor is all-wheel drive throughout. Figures below are from the ADAC catalogue (power, German market) and Wikipedia EN (battery, range, weight).

The early Dual Motor had 300 kW (408 PS) and 660 Nm. From November 2021 owners could buy an over-the-air upgrade to 350 kW (476 PS) and 680 Nm, which cut the 0–100 km/h time to 4.4 seconds. After the 2023 update the upgraded Dual Motor needs 4.2 seconds, and torque rose to 740 Nm. Wikipedia EN gives kerb weights of 1,940 kg for the Standard Range, 2,040 kg for the Long Range Single Motor and 2,150 kg for the Dual Motor.

Two limited models sat at the top. The BST Edition 270 of June 2022 was limited to 270 cars with the Performance upgrade and a revised chassis. The BST Edition 230 of March 2023 added a 25 mm lower suspension, Öhlins dampers, Pirelli P Zero tyres and 350 kW.

The 2024 update: rear-wheel drive and bigger batteries

Polestar revealed the revised car in January 2023. The most important change was underneath: the single-motor version moved its motor to the rear axle, and its output rose to 220 kW in the Long Range with 490 Nm. The Long Range battery grew to 82 kWh gross, and the Dual Motor can now disconnect its front motor to save energy.

On the outside, the grille panel became a smooth, body-coloured surface that carries the sensors and a camera. DC charging also improved, from 135 to 180 kW peak for the Standard Range and from 155 to 205 kW for the Long Range.

Range and charging

Wikipedia EN gives 10–80 % times of about 35 minutes for the single-motor cars and 40 minutes for the Dual Motor, measured on the earlier, slower-charging versions. A full charge on 11 kW AC takes about seven hours. The electric car hub collects the range and charging data of other models for comparison.

Safety: Euro NCAP and recalls

Euro NCAP tested the Long Range Dual Motor in 2021 and awarded five stars. The car scored 93 % for adult occupants, 89 % for children, 80 % for pedestrians and other road users, and 83 % for the driver-assistance systems. ANCAP adopted these results for Australia with slightly different point totals.

The early months were not smooth. In October 2020 a software fault could cut power while driving; because the first cars could not yet take over-the-air updates, every car had to visit a workshop. A second recall in the same month covered faulty inverters. Buyers of an early used car should check that both repairs are on record.

Prices in Germany

The ADAC catalogue is the source of all prices above. German Wikipedia gives €57,900 for the Launch Edition in 2020, €1,000 less than the ADAC listing. Germany registered 19,165 Polestar 2s from launch to December 2024, with 2022 the best year at 6,984 cars.

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