The aptly-named third model from the Swedish brand is the new Polestar 3, an electric SUV that launches with a 610-kilometre range, up to 517hp and an Irish price tag just a whisker less than €100,000. Following today's unveiling in Copenhagen, Polestar Ireland has opened the order book for 2023 deliveries.
Two motors, big battery
Though we expect more affordable variants of the Polestar 3 to arrive in the future, there is just one powertrain option at launch, simply called the Long range Dual motor. It features an 111kWh lithium-ion battery pack (of which 107kWh is usable), enabling a WLTP-ratified range of up to 610 kilometres. Polestar quotes an energy consumption figure of between 20.1- and 21.1kWh/100km.
AC charging at up to 11kW is possible - for a 0-100 per cent charge in 11 hours - while rapid DC charging peaks at 250kW. Apparently, a 10-80 per cent charge on DC power can take as little as 30 minutes. The battery comes with a warranty of eight years, or 160,000 kilometres and a heat pump is included as standard.
There's a permanent magnet synchronous electric motor on each axle for total maximum outputs of 489hp and 840Nm of torque. Polestar quotes a 0-100km/h time of five seconds exactly and a top speed of 209km/h.
For €7,000, Irish buyers can upgrade to the Performance Pack, which means higher maximum outputs of 517hp and 910Nm of torque. This drops the 0-100km/h time to 4.7 seconds, though it also reduces the range to 580km.
New Polestar design language
The Polestar 3 uses the new brand design language previewed by the Precept concept car, with distinctive headlights, a curvaceous form and lots of technical detailing. Check out the 'SmartZone' up front that showcases the huge array of sensors and cameras the car features, for example. A set of 21-inch alloy wheels is standard.
Other than that, there has been a significant focus on the Polestar 3's aerodynamics, as evidenced by the prominent aero wing integrated with the nose of the car, the sporty looking rear wing and distinctive aero blades at the back. Polestar quotes a coefficient of drag of 0.296.
In terms of dimensions, the Polestar 3 is 4.9 metres long, just over 1.6 metres tall and a little over 2.1 metres wide including the slender door mirrors. That makes it comparable to the BMW X6 and Range Rover Sport, though it's lower than both for a sportier appearance.
The Performance Pack brings with it 22-inch alloy wheels and Pirelli P-Zero tyres, including 'Swedish gold' valve caps.
Simple and spacious cabin
Inside, the Performance Pack adds gold seatbelts and a laser-etched 'light line'. Aside from that, the cabin has a gloriously minimal design, using a massive portrait-orientated touchscreen in the middle of the dashboard for most functions. It measures 14.5 inches across the diagonal and runs the Android Automotive OS with Google built in and an integrated e-SIM. A separate nine-inch widescreen display sits ahead of the neat steering wheel to house the digital instrumentation. The wheel itself features prominent buttons, which appear to enable one of the driver-assistance features.
The Polestar 3 is a five-seat SUV with a large glass roof as standard. The boot holds 484 litres of luggage, including 90 litres under the floor, expanding to 1,411 litres when the rear seats are folded down. There's a 32-litre compartment under the bonnet - or 'frunk' if you're from America.
A chassis to cope
All the above takes a toll in terms of mass. The Polestar 3's kerb weight is quoted as 2,584-2,670kg. However, it can also tow up to 2,200kg, which is useful. To cope with all this, there are chunky Brembo brakes as standard, along with adaptive damping and self-levelling air suspension. We also noticed mention of a clutch pack on the rear axle to allow for torque vectoring by varying the amount of torque sent to each of the back wheels. The system can even decouple the rear wheels and run in front-drive mode to enhance efficiency.
Opt for the Performance Pack and the suspension settings are altered to sharpen up the dynamics further.
The starting price in Ireland for the Polestar 3 is €99,900.