Polestar details new Precept EV Concept

POLESTAR has revealed more details about its Precept electric concept car, a car the brand says “envisions its future” and was created to showcase the three key areas of sustainability, digital technology and design.

Initially revealed in February, Polestar says the Precept is “a manifesto of things to come; a declaration” of where the brand will be headed in coming years.

According to Polestar CEO Thomas Ingenlath, the Precept is not some far-off concept based on a science-fiction movie, but rather a very real indication of what is to come.

“People ask me all the time, ‘what is the future of Polestar?’, and of course we are not showing our future models just yet,” he said.

“But Precept shows you where we will be heading – our design direction, our ambitions about sustainability and the great digital user experience we will bring with those future cars.”

To look at, there is no denying the Precept means business, combining aerodynamic sleekness with a purposeful stance thanks to its flared wheelarches and haunches.

At the front, the front wing has been integrated into the bonnet to reduce turbulence with the front grille being replaced by what Polestar has dubbed SmartZone, a collection of radars, ultrasonic sensors and a wide-angle camera.

The splitter itself along with the side sills and rear valance are made from natural composites courtesy of natural fibre specialist Bcomp.

Occupying the outer edges of the front fascia are the narrow, all-LED headlamps and daytime running lights, both running parallel to the would-be bonnet line before flicking off in opposite directions along the pronounced parabolic line, helping to add a frown to the already aggressively shaped nose.

What may not be apparent looking from the front or from a front three-quarter view is that the Precept is a four-door sedan with suicide rear doors thanks to flush doorhandles and careful body sculpting designed first and foremost to be as aerodynamic as possible.

Sitting atop the steeply raked windscreen is a LIDAR pod “positioned for superior visibility for future advanced driving technology”.

In a bid to maximise space for all four occupants as well as maximise battery space, the Precept sits on an elongated wheelbase with short front and rear overhangs afforded by the lack of a combustion engine and traditional transmission.

The whole package rides on aerodynamically optimised 22-inch alloy wheels while LED side markers on the C-pillars reflect the level of charge.

A full-length panoramic sunroof helps add an extra level of airiness to the already spacious cabin with four individually mounted seats laid out with rear legroom as a priority.

Inside, high definition cameras replace traditional rear-view and exterior mirrors with the would-be reflections displayed digitally on the all-digital but minimalistic dashboard.

No details surrounding the Precept’s powertrain have been made available yet, nor has the claimed range or even its drive type – front, rear or all-wheel drive.

What has been revealed however is a list of some of the featured digital technologies which includes an evolution of the Android-powered infotainment system first seen in the Polestar 2.

Polestar says video streaming services will become available when the car is parked or charging while a 15-inch digital interface recognises the driver as they approach, with settings and personal content authenticated by the Polestar Digital Key.

Google Maps and the Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS) have been merged into one “for safer manoeuvres and more accurate predictions based on traffic conditions” while Google Assistant has taken a step up with more advanced speech technology.

A traditional instrument cluster has been replaced by a 9.0-inch driver display which is paired to an advanced eye-tracking system which adjusts the way information is presented depending on where the driver is looking, i.e. font size.

The bulk of the Precept’s sustainability measures can be found in its interior which builds on the vegan foundations found in the Polestar 2 production car.

Working closely with Bcomp, flax-based natural composites have been used extensively throughout the cabin to negate the need for virgin plastics by up to 80 per cent.

The composites themselves – and those on the exterior – have been made utilising Bcomp’s proprietary powerRibs structure which is claimed to enhance rigidity while still being light as well as reduce vibrations by up to 250 per cent.

The headlining has been made entirely out of recycled plastic bottles while the seat covers have been 3D knitted solely from recycled polyethylene terephthalate (plastic) bottles in a single thread with no offcuts or extra material left over.

Waste and cycled cork courtesy of the wine industry meanwhile have been used to create the seat bolstering and headrests with the floor carpets weaved using Nylon 6 taken from reclaimed fishing nets.

“This is our reality, to come,” Mr Ingenlath said.