Polestar 3 SUV — First Drive

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Final week, I acquired to drive the brand new Polestar 3 SUV about 85 miles via the mountains of Wyoming and Idaho, and I used to be largely impressed with the automotive. Driving the Polestar 3, I used to be impressed by its luxurious, efficiency, and tech. Nonetheless, its effectivity and worth have been common.

Market Positioning

The Polestar 3, launched in 2024, stands as Polestar’s flagship entry into the posh SUV market, using on the all-new SPA2 platform designed particularly for electrical autos. This SUV isn’t nearly dimension or energy; it’s a press release on how EVs can redefine luxurious, efficiency, and effectivity.

• Efficiency: With a typical output of 489 horsepower and an choice to crank it as much as 517 horsepower with the Efficiency Pack, the Polestar 3 doesn’t simply meet expectations; it exceeds them. Its acceleration to 60 mph in round 4.5 seconds is fast, however all the posh electrical SUVs (such because the Volvo XC40 Recharge, Audi This autumn e-tron, Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV, and BMW iX) are in the identical vary. In reality, the Hyundai IONIQ 5 N and the Tesla Mannequin Y Efficiency (neither of which supply the posh of the Polestar) are each significantly faster at a a lot lower cost level. 
• Design and Consolation: The design of the Polestar 3 is glossy, with efforts to disguise its SUV dimensions for a sportier look. Inside, it boasts a spacious cabin with supplies that mix luxurious with sustainability, like ecologically pleasant Nappa leather-based and recycled supplies. I discovered the inside supplies to be of soppy contact supplies, and it felt very top quality.
• Expertise: The Polestar 3 doesn’t simply journey on new tech; it’s constructed round it. From the Nvidia-powered central pc to the 14.5-inch central touchscreen, it’s a tech aficionado’s dream. The Bowers & Wilkins sound system, with its 25 audio system and 1,610 watts, isn’t nearly quantity; it’s about readability and depth, making music an integral a part of the driving expertise. 
• Effectivity and Vary: Though the Polestar 3’s vary of 279 to 319 miles is enough, it isn’t nice for having a 111 kWh (107 kWh usable) battery. The drag coefficient of 0.29, the attractive giant and classy wheels, and the curb weight of just about 3 tons all damage effectivity. Fortunately, its claimed charging fee is 250 kW and the claimed half-hour for a ten% to 80% cost isn’t unhealthy. 
• Pricing ranges from an MSRP of $73,400 to a totally loaded efficiency mannequin costing over $100,000. That is comparable with the its luxurious competitors, however earlier corporations like Lexus 30 years in the past and Genesis extra lately have tried to supply extra options for the cash than the established rivals, like Mercedes, BMW, and Audi.

For extra detailed specs, here’s a hyperlink to the specs on the Polestar web site.

Although Polestar solely has 31 sellers in North America, there are greater than 430 Volvo sellers that may service the automotive.

Driving Impressions

• Efficiency and Dealing with: The second I pressed the accelerator, the Polestar 3’s dual-motor setup kicked in, offering instantaneous torque that pushed me again into the seat. The agility for an SUV is spectacular; it feels extra like driving a sportier automobile than a standard SUV. With the Efficiency Pack, the acceleration is much more pronounced. The dealing with was responsive, due to adaptive dampers, making physique roll minimal even throughout spirited driving.
• Experience High quality: Regardless of its efficiency focus, the journey is easy. I seen how the suspension setup allowed me to listen to the highway greater than really feel it, which speaks volumes about its isolation capabilities. This stability between sportiness and luxury is one thing I discovered fairly admirable.
• Effectivity and Vary: Whereas the Polestar 3 boasts a aggressive vary on paper, the effectivity wasn’t spectacular on our drive. One other journalist and I drove about 170 miles via the mountains at a mean pace of about 60 mph and used 70% of the 107 kWh of the pack, or about 75 kWh of electrical energy. The consumption of 441 watts per mile is simply common. The power to decouple the rear motor for effectivity is a pleasant contact, however it didn’t appear to make make up for the poor drag coefficient and heavy weight of the automobile.
• Inside and Expertise: Stepping inside, the posh is straight away obvious. The supplies are top quality, with sustainable Nappa leather-based choices, and the know-how, together with a big 14.5-inch touchscreen, is all about person expertise. I particularly loved each the configurable display screen in entrance of the driving force and the heads-up show. 
• Android Auto: Pairing my cellphone with the Polestar 3 was easy. As soon as related, Android Auto seamlessly took over the 14.5-inch central touchscreen, offering a clear, intuitive interface that mirrored a lot of what I really like about my cellphone’s ecosystem. The system’s reliance on a USB connection ensures a steady hyperlink, which is essential for uninterrupted navigation and calls. The design of Android Auto within the Polestar 3 appears like an ideal mix of tech and automotive aesthetics. The interface is responsive, with fast entry to navigation, music, and calls. It’s tailor-made for the automotive’s display screen, making it simpler to make use of whereas holding my eyes on the highway.
• Sound and Consolation: The Bowers & Wilkins sound system is a revelation, enhancing the driving expertise with its readability. The seats, with their a number of changes, offered glorious assist, making longer drives snug.
• The Polestar 3 makes use of cutting-edge know-how for its ADAS, together with programs from Zenseact, Luminar (for LiDAR), and Sensible Eye, all built-in via the NVIDIA DRIVE platform. This means a excessive stage of sophistication in how the automobile processes information for security and help options. In utilizing the lane holding software program, I discovered it labored fairly nicely on the winding mountain roads, however it did often drive over the middle line. I had one occasion of it disengaging whereas assembly a big truck. I don’t know what brought about that.
• I didn’t get any error messages, however one other journalist obtained a “System communication fault” and needed to “reboot” their automobile. These kind of points have to be solved as a result of software program is a crucial a part of fashionable electrical vehicles.

Conclusion

I believe the automotive will likely be profitable at carving out a distinct segment for individuals who desire a trendy and high-performance automotive that units itself aside. Everybody I encounter likes the outside and inside design. This can be a automobile that’s satisfying to drive and to be in. The problem Polestar could face is ramping quantity sufficiently to attain economies of scale and obtain profitability.

Under are photos of the Polestar 3 from the corporate’s Media Equipment.

Disclosure: I’m a shareholder in Tesla [TSLA], BYD [BYDDY], Nio [NIO], XPeng [XPEV], Hertz [HTZ], NextEra Power [NEP], and several other ARK ETFs. However I supply no funding recommendation of any type right here. Polestar coated my journey bills to point out me their new Polestar 3.