Polestar 2’s $59,900 asking price shocks all

ASPIRING electric vehicle upstart Polestar is launching Down Under with a bang, having just priced its inbound ‘2’ fastback from $59,900 plus on-road costs with three versions set to be offered here as of January.

That sub-$60,000 starting price for the Standard Range Single Motor means the 2 will undercut many of its new-age rivals like the inbound Hyundai Ioniq 5 ($71,900) and challenge established favourites likes the Kona Electric (from $54,500) and Nissan Leaf+ (from $60,490).

Perhaps more impressively though, it puts the 2 on par, to the dollar, with the Tesla Model 3 Standard Range Plus RWD, however the Swedish car can’t match the American for sheer grunt.

Powered by a 64kWh lithium-ion battery, the entry-level Polestar develops 165kW/330Nm and will cover up to 440km on a single charge – for reference, the base model Tesla develops 211kW/375Nm with a claimed range of 448km.

Nevertheless, Polestar says the 2 Standard Range Single Motor will go from 0-100km/h in 7.4 seconds and push on to 160km/h.

Those chasing more range without necessarily needing any more performance will be able to opt for the $64,900 Long Range Single Motor variant which comes as standard with a bigger 78kWh battery, boosting the effective range up to around 540km.

The bigger battery also adds another 5kW to the equation, however the marginal power gain is offset by the extra weight, meaning it shares the base model’s 7.4-second 0-100km/h time.

Not only will the single motor variants carry competition-scarring price tags, they both qualify for Victoria and New South Wales’ $3000 EV rebate which is sure to be major drawcard among prospective buyers in those states and deal another blow to rivals like the Ioniq 5.

Speaking exclusively to GoAutoat a recent media event, Polestar Australia managing director Samantha Johnson said the 2’s sharp pricing was deigned to help entice motorists away from internal combustion engine vehicles and help them transition to EVs.

“One of the one of the real detractors from people moving from petrol engine to an EV is, that that price point (of EVs),” she said.

“We want to give people choice; they can come in at that level, that entry level, and take advantage of the rebates … and stamp duty incentives.

“So, we wanted to have it at a level where people can take advantage of that and it really can help consumers come over from petrol engines into EVs, so that was very important. 

“And if people want to spec up from that, then they can do that, but at least gives consumers a choice.”

Speaking of up-speccing, the flagship 2 Long Range Dual Motor doesn’t qualify for $3000 rebates on account of its $69,900 asking price, but it does step things up drastically in terms of performance.

Utilising the same 78kWh battery as the Long Range Single Motor but adding another electric motor to the mix (on the rear axle), the range topper develops a healthy 300kW/660Nm of torque – enough for it to launch from 0-100km/h in 4.7 seconds and crack 200km/h.

Predictably, the effective range does suffer on account of the mechanical tax, but Polestar says the Long Range Dual Motor will still cover up to 480km on a single charge.

When the time inevitably comes to recharge, all versions will take a claimed 35 minutes to go from 10-80 per cent when hooked up to a DC fast charger, however the two different batteries have different maximum charging capacities.

For the base model, it’s 116kW whereas the Long Range duo can be charged at up to 155kW.

The three variants also share the same trim level in terms of standard equipment and safety tech with kit highlights including an Android-based 11.2-inch infotainment system, 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, dual-zone climate control, heated front seats, vegan upholstery, keyless entry, 19-inch alloy wheels, adaptive LED headlights, cruise control and an auto-dimming rearview mirror.

Those hoping for or wanting a bit more will be able to opt for a trio of optional packages, however the $8000 Performance Pack is only available on the Long Range Dual Motor.

As for the safety features, collision avoidance and mitigation with vehicle, cyclist and pedestrian detection, run-off road mitigation, forward collision warning, oncoming lane mitigation lane keeping aid with steering support, post-impact braking, road and speed sign information, tyre pressure monitoring, eight airbags and whiplash protection front seats all come as standard – more features are available via the $5000 Pilot Pack.

According to Ms Johnson, local interest in the brand and the 2 has been “very strong” with the brand’s racing heritage and previous exposure helping to spur things on.

“We’ve had a lot of people reach out and ‘when you come into Australia?’, ‘when can I get my hands on a Polestar 2’, and so the interest has been quite good,” she said.

“But for those who aren’t aware of that background, we’ve still got a lot to do to sort of build brand awareness in Australia, but so far we’ve got our website live; consumers can go online now and sign up for our newsletter and also sign up for our test drive interest.

“We’ve way outdone our targets of where we thought we would be, there’s so much more consumer demand coming in.”

When the Polestar 2 does arrive in Australia, it will be backed by a five-year warranty, five-year road side assistance and five-year service plan.

2022 Polestar 2 pricing*

*Excludes on-road costs