Polestar is expanding its European lineup with the arrival of a new version of the Polestar 4. The 4 we're all pretty familiar with - and if you're not, go and have a look at our in-depth review of the Polestar 4 here - but for those still catching up, it's a low-slung, sleek, all-electric five-door fastback that sits in the middle of the Venn diagram of sports saloon, estate, and crossover.
So what's the new version of the Polestar 4?
It's called the Polestar 4 SUV, so - guess what? - it's taller, a bit chunkier, and somewhat more practical than the lower-slung Polestar 4, which from now on will be known as the Polestar 4 coupé.
How much bigger is the Polestar 4 SUV?
Details are still a touch scant, but the Polestar 4 SUV is expected to be Polestar's rival to the likes of the new BMW iX3 and Mercedes GLC, so while it won't need a bigger boot than the Polestar 4 coupé's 526 litres of storage space, it will be more upright and a bit more practical for pets and larger items. Expect a bit more boot volume then, and a roomy 'frunk' too, but the biggest change is actually one single sheet of glass?
There's a Die Hard quote about glass…
Yes, we know, but apparently people do give a… darn about glass. The Polestar 4 coupé famously has no rear window, for aerodynamic reasons, claim Polestar engineers, but arguably as much for a talking point as anything else. The Polestar 4 SUV gets the rear glass that the coupé shuns, so it'll be a slightly more normal driving experience.
What about range of the Polestar 4?
There's quite a lot. An official 630km of range for the single-motor long-range version of the Polestar 4 SUV is actually 10km more than you get from the equivalent coupé, but we don't have a range figure for the twin-motor version yet.
What we do have is a power figure for that range-topping Polestar 4 SUV, and that's 544hp - the same as the coupé, so expect the same 272hp for the single-motor version too.
How fast will the Polestar 4 charge?
Polestar is sticking with what it calls its 'proven' 400-volt architecture for the 4 SUV, which means a maximum charging power of about 200kW on DC power. That's behind the 800-volt systems used by BMW and Mercedes, but it should be good for some fairly rapid charge-ups.
Michael Lohscheller, Polestar CEO, said: "Polestar 4 has quickly established itself as a favourite among our customers, and we've seen strong demand from drivers who want distinctive design and performance combined with great practicality. With Polestar 4 SUV, we're building on that success by offering even more versatility, while staying true to the Polestar 4 character. Wrapped in a stunning design, this is a car I've been looking forward to sharing with the world.”
When can I buy the Polestar 4?
September is the official on-sale date, and we'll keep you posted when we know about Irish prices and specifications.