2024 Polestar 3 Packs 510 HP, Fancy Tech inside Chiseled Bodywork

• The 2024 Polestar 3 is the third model from the Swedish electric performance brand, and it offers up to 671 pound-feet of torque.
• With a 107.0-kWh battery, Polestar is targeting a range of 300 miles on the EPA test cycle, or 270 miles with the Performance pack.
• The 2024 Polestar 3 will go on sale in the fourth quarter of 2023 with a starting price of $85,300, with the Pilot package and the Plus package included for the first model year.

UPDATE 5/11/23: Production of the Polestar 3 is being pushed back to the first quarter of 2024, as reported by Automotive News. The delay is due to challenges with software development for the new platform which the Polestar 3 will share with the Volvo EX90.

Polestar finally joins the lucrative SUV party with the 2024 Polestar 3, revealed today at an event in Copenhagen. Volvo’s electric performance spinoff initially launched with the 1, a stunning plug-in-hybrid coupe, followed by the 2, a raised liftback that competes with Tesla’s popular Model 3. Now the Polestar 3 takes the Swedish automaker into higher-riding territory and packs a hearty punch thanks to a dual-motor setup pushing out up to 510 horsepower and 671 pound-feet of torque.

Powertrain and Performance

Those impressive figures require the Performance package, but even the standard dual-motor 3 has a stout 483 hp and 620 pound-feet. Polestar claims that is enough oomph to shoot the crossover to 60 mph in 4.9 seconds, with the Performance pack slicing another 0.3 seconds off that time. Top speed is a claimed 130 mph. The dual-motor setup means standard all-wheel-drive, and Polestar says the system has a rear bias. Dual-clutch torque vectoring for the rear motor should also liven up the handling.

The two permanent-magnet synchronous electric motors are hooked up to a lithium-ion battery pack with a 107.0-kWh usable capacity. The battery is built by CATL, a Chinese firm that also supplies batteries to companies including Tesla, BMW, and Ford. Polestar is targeting an EPA range of 300 miles, with the Performance pack dropping that estimate to 270 miles. Adjustable one-pedal driving is enabled by regenerative braking, and the 3 can also disconnect the rear motor to save battery power. When the temperature drops, a standard mechanical heat pump will precondition the battery before setting off to help maintain range. Polestar claims the 400-volt system can recharge the battery from 10 to 80 percent in 30 minutes on a DC fast charger at up to 250 kW. The 3 is also set up for bidirectional charging, where the vehicle can return power to the grid.

Size and Design

Polestar had already shown most of the 3’s sleek design, but now we know that the slippery, minimalist bodywork results in a solid 0.29 coefficient of drag. While it’s slightly shorter than a Porsche Cayenne at 193 inches, the 117.5-inch wheelbase is 3.5 inches longer than that of the Cayenne. Polestar says the 3 crossover will weigh between 5696 and 5886 pounds depending on the specification, and the 3 will also be capable of towing 3500 pounds, although doing so will likely eat significantly into range.

The Polestar 3 will ride on 21-inch wheels. Its suspension setup incorporates unequal-length control arms up front, air springs, and adaptive dampers. Braking power comes via four-piston Brembos up front and single-piston calipers in the rear. Every 3 is also outfitted with a panoramic glass roof, LED lightning inside and out, and retractable door handles.

Features and Options

For the first model year, Polestar’s crossover comes with the Plus pack and Pilot pack as standard. The former adds a 25-speaker Bowers & Wilkins audio system, soft-close doors, a heated steering wheel, and an electrically adjustable steering column. It also includes heated rear seats, heated wipers, and an interior upholstered in either wool or a suede-like textile derived from recycled polyester. A Nappa leather interior will also be available.

The Pilot pack brings a heads-up display, parking assist, and Polestar’s Pilot Assist system that helps control acceleration, braking, steering up to 80 mph. Starting in the second quarter of 2023, another Pilot package will bring lidar, with three extra cameras and four ultrasonic sensors that can create a 3D scan of the car’s surroundings, which Polestar says will “prepare the car for autonomous driving.”

Along with boosting the power output, the Performance pack includes 22-inch black wheels wrapped in Pirelli P Zero tires, a retuned chassis, and gold accents inside and out. The standard 3 wears Michelin Pilot Sport 4 EV rubber.

A 14.5-inch infotainment screen dominates the pared-back but classy cabin and runs an Android Automotive operating system, related to the setup seen on the Polestar 2. Google Assistant, Google Maps, and Google Play Store apps are built in. The interior also features radar sensors that can pick up sub-millimeter movements, designed to help you avoid absent-mindedly leaving kids or pets behind, and Polestar says the system also connects to the climate control to help prevent heat stroke or hypothermia. An eye-tracker will warn drivers who are distracted or drowsy before activating an emergency stop procedure if repeatedly ignored.

Deliveries of the Polestar 3 will commence in the fourth quarter of next year, with production initially coming from a plant in Chengdu, China. Starting in the middle of 2024, Polestar 3s meant for the North American market will originate in Volvo’s Ridgeville, South Carolina factory. The 2024 Polestar 3 Long Range Dual Motor will start at $85,300, with the Pilot pack and Plus pack included and the Performance pack running an extra $6000.

This story was originally published October 12, 2022.

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