The Polestar 2 is a new electric car that may not be on your radar screen, but it just got less expensive.
Polestar was once a tuner shop creating high-performance Volvos. But the company is using the explosion of interest in electric cars as a chance to design and sell its own vehicles. The high-end Polestar 1, with its six-figure price tag, luxury cabin, and dynamic handling, is the brand’s showpiece.
But the 2021 Polestar 2 is the model for the rest of us. It impressed our testers, bringing an upscale interior, sharp fastback looks, and excellent safety features down a slightly more affordable $60,000 price range. And it’s now getting even less expensive.
The company is set to offer an entry-level version of the Polestar 2. When it reaches America near the end of the year, the 2 will come as a front-wheel-drive model (FWD), planned for a lower price than the $61,200 of the previously-announced all-wheel-drive (AWD) model. We won’t know that exact price until closer to the car’s sale date.
One Motor, 231 Horsepower
The FWD model will carry just one electric motor, making a respectable 231 horsepower. That’s well down from the 408 horses of the AWD model, but it buys you nearly 30 miles of additional range — up to 260.
The lower price tag doesn’t mean a drastic cut in features, Both FWD and AWD models come with the same standard equipment set. “What we have successfully managed with the new versions of the Polestar 2 is to avoid stripping the lower-priced models of their character and premium feeling,” says Polestar CEO Thomas Ingenlath.
Buyers will also be able to select a new heating option. This setup will use the heat produced by the drivetrain to warm the cabin instead of powering a separate heater off the battery. It’s a bit slower to get up to normal temps in cold weather but makes the battery up to 10 percent more efficient — a smart trade in some climates.
