Polestar Enters Final Prototype Phase Before Production of the Mass-Market Electric Polestar 2

author: Eric Walz   

The fully-electric Polestar 2 will compete with Tesla and other premium EV models.

The electric performance car brand Polestar, a joint venture between Swedish automaker Volvo Cars and its parent Chinese automaker Zhejiang Geely Holding (Geely) announced that its second vehicle, the Polestar 2, is entering the final prototype phase before final production and delivery to customers begins in 2020.

The fully-electric Polestar 2 was first unveiled in February 2019. Although Polestar is part of the Volvo Car Group under parent company Geely, it is being operated as a standalone EV brand.

The Polestar 2 is being built at Geely's Luqiao assembly factory in China. 

"Polestar 2 tooling trial prototypes are now rolling off the final production line in the Luqiao factory, and so nearing series production," comments Thomas Ingenlath, Chief Executive Officer of Polestar. "Cars will be with customers in the first half of 2020, as planned. We will continue to make good on our promises."

The Polestar 2 is the first mass-market model from the new Polestar brand and is set to compete with Tesla in the growing EV market, especially in China, which is the world's biggest market for electric vehicles.

The Polestar 2 features an all-wheel-drive setup with dual electric motors powered by a 78 kWh actively cooled lithium-ion battery pack. The powertrain produces over 400 horsepower with 275 miles of range. The EV is being positioned as a direct competitor to the Tesla Model 3.

Polestar said the second prototype phase of the Polestar 2 is designed to prove vehicle integrity and assembly process quality to ensure the vehicle meets the automaker's exacting standards once series production begins.

Polestar said the next phase for the Polestar 2 will be the construction of a test track at the Liqiao assembly plant. The test track will be dedicated to vehicle development and quality assurance, Polestar said. In addition, the track reduces the amount of transport required for vehicle assessment, according to Polestar.

The Polestar 2 is the second model from the Polestar brand, which was established in 2017.

Polestar also announced that its upmarket Polestar 1 is rolling off the production line at the Chengdu facility which opened in August 2019. The plant was designed by internationally renowned Norweigan architecture and design company, Snøhetta.

The Polestar 1 is a limited edition, 600 horsepower hybrid EV costing $155,000. The flagship Polestar 1 also serves as a platform for the automaker to show off its innovative technology. 

Polestar is a "digital brand" and following Tesla's lead customers will be able to purchase the vehicle entirely online as opposed to the traditional automotive dealership model. Customers can visit one of the company's "Polestar Spaces" where they can speak with product experts and examine the Polestar 2 up-close in a no pressure environment. Polestar plans on opening around 60 Polestar Spaces around the world in major metropolitan areas.

Polestar will also offer a subscription model for the Polestar 2. The EV will be offered with an all-inclusive single monthly payment that includes everything from maintenance, insurance, roadside assistance, as well as pick-up and delivery services designed to redefine the owner experience. All orders and transactions can be completed entirely online.

The Polestar 2 is the first vehicle to feature an infotainment system powered by Google's Android. Drivers can use popular Google services such as Maps, Assistant, and Play without having to sync a smartphone. All of the Google services are optimized for in-vehicle use.

Reservations for Polestar 2 are open at Polestar.com. Prospective buyers can reserve one to guarantee 2020 delivery. The vehicle starts at $63,700. All deposits are fully refundable. 

Polestar opened its first sales center in Oslo, Norway last month. In North America, the Polestar 2 will initially be sold in San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Diego and Seattle markets, followed by the Canadian cities of Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal.

Eric Walz

Originally hailing from New Jersey, Eric is a automotive & technology reporter covering the high-tech industry here in Silicon Valley. He has over 15 years of automotive experience and a bachelors degree in computer science. These skills, combined with technical writing and news reporting, allows him to fully understand and identify new and innovative technologies in the auto industry and beyond. He has worked at Uber on self-driving cars and as a technical writer, helping people to understand and work with technology.