Volvo's Polestar 2 EV Is Coming This Year with 400 HP, 300 Miles of Range

From Car and Driver

UPDATE 1/23/19: Polestar has shared a glimpse of its new infotainment system that will debut in the 2. This new Google Android–based touchscreen setup will presumably propagate across the Polestar and Volvo lineups in the near future. Another teaser image below shows the 2's thin LED taillight strip and badge.

Volvo's new EV-focused Polestar division is wasting no time fleshing out its lineup. A new fully electric vehicle called the Polestar 2 is coming sometime this year to follow the Polestar 1 plug-in-hybrid coupe. Along with the first teaser image that shows a glimpse at the rear end, we also have a fair amount of preliminary information about what to expect from Polestar's second model.

Given that Polestar says the 2 has a "four-door fastback" shape, we think it will look a lot like Volvo's 40.2 concept from a few years ago, pictured below, that ostensibly previewed the impending Volvo S40 sedan. Like the Polestar 1, which is loosely based on the S90 sedan, it seems like the Polestar 2 will have some link with Volvo's 40-series models, which ride on an architecture shared with parent company Geely called CMA.

The Polestar's construction, however, will accommodate a large battery pack said to provide around 300 miles of range. Power output will be about 400 horsepower, and we predict the vehicle will have all-wheel drive, either standard or optional. Polestar says it will be priced in the Tesla Model 3's orbit, which means it should cost between $40,000 and $50,000 to start. A new Google Android–based infotainment system with Google Assistant integration will be on hand.

The Polestar 2 will make its official debut within the next few months, and it will likely go on sale later in the year as a 2020 model. While Polestar will allow buyers to purchase the 2 in cash, the company is pushing a subscription model similar to the Care by Volvo system, which charges an all-inclusive monthly fee. Polestar will also eschew traditional dealerships in favor of showrooms, called Polestar Spaces, that allow customers to see the vehicles. The eventual purchase, though, will take place online.

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