Tags: #ev-technology #ev-autonomous-driving #electric-vehicles
The Polestar 3 is the first of a new generation of cars from the brand, incorporating a new design language which debuted on the Precept Concept as well as a host of advanced new technologies. Destined to be a global model for the brand, the Polestar 3 is designed to compete in the most profitable and buoyant sector in the EV world – luxury SUVs.
At launch, the Polestar 3 will be available in Long Range Dual Motor form with the standard car producing 483bhp and 620lb-ft of torque. An optional performance pack, which will set buyers back £5600, ups these figures to 510bhp and 671lb-ft. On the rear axle, a torque vectoring dual clutch helps distribute power, whilst two-chamber adaptive air suspension keeps things in check round the corners. A decoupling function means that in many circumstances, the Polestar 3 runs on the front motor alone.
The battery is a whopper, coming in at 111kWh and enabling the 3 to travel up to 379 miles on the WLTP test. As you might imagine, it isn’t exactly light, weighing in at around 2600kg meaning that despite the prodigious power, acceleration isn’t overly quick with 62mph coming up in 5 seconds in the standard car and 4.7 seconds with the performance pack. Top speed is 130mph.
Once you’ve emptied the battery, maximum DC charging is 250kW whilst an on-board 11kW charger deals with AC current.
Polestar has departed from its previous design language with the 3. Aerodynamics has played a big part in the way the car looks, albeit the company says there’s been “strong emphasis on retaining the hallmarks of an SUV, including a powerful and wide stance”. Aero features include a front wing integrated into the bonnet, an aero wing integrated into the rear spoiler, plus aero blades.
Thomas Ingenlath, CEO of Polestar, said: “This car has been designed as a Polestar from the start and features new defining characteristics for us – like the dual blade headlights, SmartZone and front aero wing.”
Size-wise, the Polestar 3 measures 4900mm long, 2120mm wide and 1614mm tall. The wheelbase is fairly large, at 2985mm whilst ground clearance for European models is 201mm. For context, in terms of length and width, the Polestar 3 is longer than a Range Rover Velar, but slightly shorter than a full-blown Range Rover, but significantly wider than both.
Inside, the Polestar 3 is very much a continuation of the brand’s previous designs, meaning quality minimalism with a large 14.5 inch portrait central touchscreen and a smaller landscape driver’s display. A rotary control and a few switches on the centre console are also present. There’s plenty of storage, with 32 litres under the bonnet as well as 484 litres in the boot with the seats up or 1411 litres with them folded – the latter figures including 90 litres beneath the boot floor.
Tech is a big part of the Polestar 3 offering. The cockpit and infotainment elements are powered by Snapdragon Cockpit Platform which is said to provide immersive in-vehicle experiences through sound and audio. The operating system is still via Android Automotive – an evolution of the slick system found in the Polestar 2 and Volvo cars.
Powering the driver aids and ADAS safety tech is centralised computing from NVIDIA DRIVE which brings together all the data from the car’s five radars, five cameras and 12 ultrasonic sensors, running Volvo software to turn it into useful information. An optional LIDAR pack will be made available in Q2 of 2023, adding more holistic scanning and longer-range scanning; enhancing the car’s autonomous driving capabilities as well as safety.
On top of the exterior safety systems, interior cameras monitor the driver’s eye movements to detect when they are distracted. This can alert the driver or even bring the car to a safe stop.
It’s already possible to order a Polestar 3 from the company with prices starting at £79,900 for the Polestar 3 Long Range Dual Motor – the only edition available at launch. The Performance Pack costs an additional £5600, but otherwise, the car comes with all headline tech as standard, simplifying the buying process. Deliveries aren’t expected to begin until the end of 2023.
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