Entering 2020, there have been some interesting changes in the electric vehicle industry. Pure electric vehicles are no longer just satisfying the “policy” and “commuting” needs. Starting from NIO ES6 and new ES8, electric vehicles are becoming more and more luxurious; starting from Porsche Taycan, electric vehicles are becoming more and more powerful; and with the introduction of Tesla Model 3’s Track Mode, electric vehicles are becoming more and more fun.
In the category of pure electric vehicles, more and more automakers are expanding into segmented markets. Starting from Polestar 2, electric vehicles are becoming more and more design-oriented and stylish.
01 The Car for Designers
Before we introduce a car, we would always prioritize “range”, but after seeing Polestar 2, I want to start with design first. Friends who are familiar with Polestar may know that the CEO of Polestar, Thomas Ingenlath, is a designer himself. Before taking on the role of Polestar CEO, he was the Senior Vice President of Design at Volvo Cars. Therefore, the importance of “design” for Polestar is self-evident. In the exterior and interior of Polestar 2, you can discover many unique design features.
Looking at the exterior, many people may think that Polestar 2 is a cross-style hatchback SUV, but it is actually a compact hatchback. Polestar 2 has a body size of 460618591482 mm (with optional performance package, the height of the car is 1473 mm), and a wheelbase of 2735 mm. The overall size of the car is comparable to the Lynk & Co 03, the high waistline design on the side of Polestar 2 causes the visual center of gravity to be higher, so many people may feel that it looks more like an SUV.
When I first saw the picture of Polestar 2, I had a feeling that this car was not quite coordinated, but after seeing it in person, the only impression left on me was that there was not a single extraneous line on the car, and all the designs were just right, so I suggest that all friends interested in Polestar 2 must come to experience this car in person.
Let’s take a look at some of the exterior design details. A very interesting point is that Polestar 2 will use the same color design for the paint and the badge for all colors, which is very rare. All car companies, especially new brands, always hope that the logo will be more eye-catching and can attract more consumers’ attention, and increase the brand’s exposure.
This is the tradeoff that Polestar has made in design. Although it weakens the presence of the logo, the advantage is that the black paint matched with the black grille and logo makes the front face of Polestar 2 very strong and particularly pleasing to the eye. Not many cars from the factory are “blacked out” to this degree.
In addition to the logo on the front, the logo on the back and the “Polestar” name in the lower left corner are also the same color as the body.
The design of Polestar 2’s headlights adopts a design similar to Volvo’s “Thor’s Hammer”. The first edition model we test drove has matrix LED headlights with 84 LED light sources on each side. The car can intelligently recognize the 5 vehicles in front and can adjust or cut off the light source according to the position of the vehicle in front, reducing the impact on the preceding vehicle.
As for the taillights, Polestar 2 also adopts the same design language as Volvo. The all-black tail, combined with the full LED red taillights, has a very good visual effect with high recognition at night.
The original version of the car comes with 19-inch wheels and Michelin PRIMACY 4 tires.
This is already a very large size wheel for the body of Polestar 2. If you still want a more stunning visual effect, you can choose the optional 20-inch wheels.
After choosing the high-performance package, the standard 20-inch forged wheels and corresponding upgrades to brakes and suspension will be provided. We will talk about the driving experience later.
Slow charging and fast charging interfaces are located on both sides of the rear of the car.
Entering the interior of the car, you can feel that it is also a very well-designed interior.
The center console is divided into three materials and colors from top to bottom, and the floating design is used for the car screen. Although the large car screen occupies most of the space, the designer did not destroy the original design. Instead, the centralized air conditioning outlet is located above the center console, which is a unique and independent position. The air outlet effect still needs to be verified.
Under the center screen, Polestar has set up a very practical storage space. This area not only supports wireless charging for mobile phones but also has two Type-C interfaces. It is very convenient to use it to put mobile phones or wallets.
The design of the gear shifter behind the Polestar 2 is quite unique, with a very heavy and dampened feel. The surrounding area of the shifter uses a piano painted decorative panel, which looks visually impressive but requires careful maintenance, otherwise it can easily become a fingerprint collector.
The outer edge of the piano paint is designed with hollowed-out patterns, which, when combined with the light-colored wood grain decorative panel below and illuminated by the interior ambient lighting at night, creates a luxurious atmosphere. The only downside is that the concave design is not conducive to later maintenance and can easily trap small items. This shows that in the eyes of Polestar designers, sometimes “utility” needs to sacrifice for “design”.
Of course, “utility” is not always sacrificed. Behind the electronic gear lever, there is a cup holder, and under the central armrest, there is a small storage compartment.
In terms of materials, the vehicle photographed this time is equipped with a 50,000 RMB option of Dark Brown Nappa Leather interior. The seat padding is soft and has a certain sense of wrapping, and it also supports seat ventilation and heating. However, the 50,000 RMB option price is not cheap.
Finally, let’s introduce two unique designs of the Polestar 2. Many car models have a panoramic skylight, but the Polestar 2 has its own trick. The central reading light on the roof adopts a suspended design. Behind this area, Polestar has designed a spotlight, which can project the “Polestar” logo onto the roof glass. At night, passengers sitting in the back seat or even outside the car can see a striking light and shadow, which is very impressive.Polestar 2 utilizes borderless rearview mirrors which are 30% smaller than traditional mirrors within the same viewable area, resulting in lower wind resistance. The interior viewing experience is also stunning.
In terms of space, Polestar 2 is not its strong suit. Firstly, the car is only 4606mm long with a wheelbase of 2735mm, which is considered compact. There are no issues with the space in the front, however, the rear seats are relatively cramped, although the soft seats provide ample support.
Additionally, Polestar 2 is an electric vehicle based on the CMA platform. In order to accommodate the structure of “fuel” and “hybrid” vehicles, the battery of the pure electric model uses a T-shaped design, resulting in a relatively large bulge in the floor of the rear seats. This will not have a significant impact if the car is only used by 1-2 people in their daily life.
In terms of storage space, Polestar 2 has many practical details.
There is a flip-up partition on the trunk floor, which can not only divide the trunk space but also has some hooks and tendon ropes for fixing.
Polestar 2 has a small frunk, which opens in the same way as the engine hood of a fuel car and is not very convenient. Therefore, it is more suitable for storing some items that are not usually used. Under the front trunk floor are tire sealant, towing hook, and triangle warning sign.
Is it a fun car?
If you look back at Polestar’s history, you will find that Polestar is not a brand born from making “cars,” but from making “tuning.”
The earliest history of Polestar can be traced back to the 1990s, when it was a tuning brand named Polestar Volvo. After being acquired by Volvo, it became an independent car brand in 2017. Therefore, “sportiness” is another characteristic written in Polestar’s genes except for “design.”
Polestar 2 is the second model of the Polestar brand and the first pure electric vehicle of the Polestar brand. The first edition model we test drove is equipped with two 150 kW permanent magnet synchronous motors, with a maximum vehicle output power of 300 kW (408 PS), a maximum torque of 660 N·m, and a 0-62 mph acceleration time of 4.7 seconds. With a 78 kWh battery, it has an NEDC-rated range of 279 miles.
At the same time, Polestar also offers a “Performance Pack” priced at CNY 42,000 (approx. US$5,900). Hold on, don’t rush to say it’s expensive. This optional package comes with a set of 22-level adjustable Öhlins double-flow valve shock absorbers, a set of four-piston Brembo brake system with aluminum calipers, a set of 20-inch forged wheels, and yellow safety belts.
It’s worth noting that at least CNY 20,000 is required for a set of Öhlins shock absorbers. From this point of view, CNY 42,000 is not expensive, and we strongly recommend Polestar 2 customers to consider adding this high-performance package.
Due to the limited test drive time, I only briefly experienced the driving feel of Polestar on the track. Here are a few things that impressed me the most.In terms of power, the acceleration time of 4.7 seconds may not be fast for an electric car, but it is still a very “performance” achievement, and ESP can be directly turned off in the Polestar 2’s onboard system.
As for the brakes, the Polestar 2’s braking feel is slightly hard but very linear. During intense driving, it is very controllable, and the driver can precisely control the braking force.
What surprised me the most is that not only can you set the strength of kinetic energy recovery in the Polestar 2’s onboard system, but you can also turn off the creep to achieve “one-pedal” driving. For electric cars, maximizing the use of kinetic energy recovery can not only improve the utilization rate of electrical energy, but also significantly reduce the wear of the braking system. In this aspect, the Polestar 2 has done it very purely.
In terms of suspension, the Polestar 2 with the optional performance package comes standard with 22-level adjustable Öhlins dual-flow valve shock absorbers. Drivers can adjust the softness and hardness of the front and rear shock absorbers from outside the car. Every driving enthusiast can adjust it to the appropriate setting according to their own preferences. To sum up, this is a suspension with a very high level of playability.
03 A New Attempt on the Onboard SystemThe car infotainment system is also a significant highlight of the Polestar 2. It is the first car infotainment system that employs the Android Automotive OS, and the first of its kind for Android’s endeavor into car use scenarios. Furthermore, Polestar has integrated localized applications such as Autonavi Maps, iFLYTEK, and the Huawei app store into the infotainment system. However, it should be noted that the test drive vehicle is a prototype, and the software is not the final version. Therefore, we will not delve too much into the details here. If interested, please refer to this article: Will the First Android Automotive System Endorsed by Google Become the Polestar 2’s Biggest Selling Point?| CES Asia.
Concluding Remarks
After looking at the exterior and interior design of the Polestar 2, I have taken a lot of space to introduce its design. This car is rendered with extreme appeal. Upon seeing this car, your first thought is not how many kilometers it can drive or its level of ADAS, but quietly admiring this car’s exterior and interior design and discovering the small surprises left by the designers.
Indeed, Tesla’s OTA brings many surprises, but these surprises are more “geeky.” On the other hand, the Polestar 2’s surprises are more identifiable as “style.”Back to the rational level and take another look at the Polestar 2. With a length of 4.6 meters, a 71 kWh battery, 300 kW maximum output power, and a NEDC range of 450 km, although the data is not outstanding, the Polestar 2 directly targets the weak points of the Tesla Model 3 in terms of interior workmanship and design, avoiding the traditional “long board” strategy. Polestar 2 has identified a blank area in the electric vehicle market, satisfying the diverse preferences of consumers.
This article is a translation by ChatGPT of a Chinese report from 42HOW. If you have any questions about it, please email bd@42how.com.