First things first: Here’s a look at the outgoing Polestar 2:
And here’s a look at the upcoming 2024, post-refresh model:
The rear end looks pretty much the same, but the nose does look quite a bit different, ditching the grille-like section between the headlights for a big panel that Polestar calls the “SmartZone.” From Polestar: Other changes include 205kW charging power (up from 150 kW) for a new 82kWh battery. Up until this point, the largest battery was a 78 kWh, which offered up to 270 miles of EPA-estimated range:
The 2024 Polestar 2 cranks things up a bit, with “preliminary” EPA range estimates hitting 300 miles, per Polestar:
The dual-motor version now has a rear-drive bias that increases driving pleasure and performance thanks to a completely re-balanced drivetrain setup and torque-ratio. The new rear motor is the primary drive source, supported on the front axle by a new asynchronous motor. This enables higher total system output of 421 hp and 546 lb-ft (increased from the original 408 hp and 467 lb-ft), vastly improved traction, greater overall efficiency and higher performance – with 0-60 mph now achieved in 4.3 seconds. Supporting efficiency gains, the front motor can now be disengaged completely when not needed. When the driver wants more power, the front motor re-engages instantly and seamlessly. I’ll be curious to see how it drives. It’ll undoubtedly be better, but will it actually be…well, fun? That seems to be what they’re going for here and it’s what EVs outside of the ridiculous unobtanium coated ones lack. Between this and the N versions of the Hyundai EVs I’ll be very interested to see how the reviews go. Volvo isn’t exactly known for driver engagement but Polestar has been messing around in the performance realm for years now so they have a base to build off of. I’d consider an EV as my next car but it would have to at least come close to the engagement levels of similar sporty cars in the price range…and when you’re sitting around 60k there is some STIFF competition from cars like the M340i/M2, RS3, IS500, TLX Type S, CT4V Blackwing, etc. But I’m willing to keep an open mind. I would really like to have an EV that’s fun to drive and had high hopes for the P2. In the end, I couldn’t get over the cramped/bland interior and UI. I’m open to taking another look at the refresh though… BTW, I drove a Kia EV6 a couple weeks after that. The tech in the car was pretty amazing, but I did not care for the way it drove. I also drove a launch edition and the whole car looked like cheap plastic and the black, ribbed cladding was horrible. The later models look much better, but there’s still something about them in person where I couldn’t help feeling “how is this car $60k?” Looking forward to checking out the Ionic 6 when it comes out, but for now, I’ve given up on finding a reasonably priced EV with some snap. They just seem to be getting more and more expensive. I look forward to hearing about all the weird things you manage to successfully identify despite that someone. Going to the track? Pop in the performance motor(s). Going on a long trip? Remove the first performance motor completely and replace the other one with a less-powerful (and less power-hungry) motor for enhanced range. I wouldn’t expect motor swaps to be an everyday occurrence, but being able to do one relatively easily in one’s own garage (e.g. with an engine hoist) would be a very handy feature. Expensive, from a design standpoint and from a spare motor standpoint, but handy. Plus I’m not sure you’d see an improvement in economy that would be worth fitting your road-trip motor. Road-trip tires and aero wheels would be worth it though. Whether it’s worth doing that is a whole other question, but it’s not impossible. And you don’t see how changing from two performance motors to a single not-performance motor would result in improved economy? I can’t see that running a 400bhp motor at 30bhp (which is enough for a 60-70mph cruise) is going to make enough of a difference in range compared to running a 150bhp motor at 30bhp to make it worthwhile swapping the motors. As for the motor you’re removing all together, all you save is the weight, a lot of motors already disconnect when not in use. Is that worth taking out the motor and driveshafts and safely terminating the HV lines for? Saving 40kg from a car you’re about to road-trip full of luggage? It’d be easier to just take out the big motor from your dual motor EV and use just the little one that’s left. People with dual motor EVs could do this right now, but they don’t. Optimally for a FWD BEV you’d put as many batteries as possible over the front wheels to increase traction. Personally I think all FWD vehicles should be of cab forward or COE design because as it currently stands FWD cars only lose traction for the front wheels for every pound of weight put in the car because there’s no provision to put more weight over the driven wheels. Disney did own Herbie, which I believe never put eyes anywhere but the headlights. So I don’t feel Disney ruined this, just practically everything else. Not a huge fan of the “dental dam” look, but it’s growing on me a bit. I get that they’re trying for a more coherent look between the 2 and the 3 and their Volvo siblings, but I really like the original toothy grille. Huge chassis changes though. It’s much easier with an EV that’s designed to have front and rear motors to pick which one you delete for the base model. I wouldn’t be surprised if some one brings out an EV that’s FWD base, then RWD with a bigger motor for the middle models but with a 4WD twin motor top spec. It could all go down the same production line, and you get to increase volumes on the front motor to bring costs down. It turns out that I am surprised. Whatever the reason, it’s a great demonstration of the benefits of a modular platform design and the flexibility an electric drivetrain provides – there’s no realistic way to do that with an ICE drivetrain. Similarly a RWD EV won’t have a light rear end that a front engined RWD ICE car might have (depending on how empty the gas tank is). So front or rear drive will matter less with EVs in snow. (Not that many people, aside from young an inexperienced drivers, are breaking free in such intersections, but… well there’s some personal experience here.) I had a focus st and even with the ~80 fewer hp and the non-instantaneous torque, it pretty regularly would pull on launch. I can’t imagine how 300hp (with the new motor) with instantaneous torque trying to launch with just the front wheels.
