The All-Electric SUV Market Just Got More Competitive
Here comes the Polestar 3 SUV, with a new ‘P10’ motor which can deliver up to 603 hp — and in Polestar’s AWD, combining it with a front motor, can achieve up to 871 hp.
Polestar, Volvo’s electric-vehicle spin-off brand, will available later this year, and the Swedish automaker will offer the new luxury electric crossover that will compete with the BMW iX, Jaguar I-Pace, Audi e-tron and Tesla Model X.
Polestar 3 is an aerodynamic SUV showcasing the next evolution of Polestar’s design language, incorporating NVIDIA computing power, Luminar LiDAR, a fully electric drivetrain, and more sustainable material innovations. One that shows that what comes after 1 and 2 is indeed 3, and yet so much more. Polestar 3. The premium electric performance SUV.
Polestar will manufacture the Polestar 3 at Volvo Cars’ first U.S. plant in Ridgeville, Berkeley County, South Carolina — with the first Polestar SUV hitting the production line at the end of 2022. The Polestar 3 will share its platform and battery with the XC90’s upcoming electric sibling (Volvo Embla). The SPA2 platform – A skateboard chassis with a different floor assembly allows Polestar 3 to achieve a larger wheelbase, larger wheels, short overhangs, and a larger storage area between the front seats than an equivalent combustion engine SUV.
According to Polestar chief designer Max Missoni, the 3 will have different driving characteristics than the next-gen XC90’s electric sibling, which was previewed by the Volvo Concept Recharge. While the Polestar electric car will focus on sportier handling, the Volvo SUV is likely to prioritize comfort.
Range & Charging
Polestar has confirmed that it is targeting a WLTP range of more than 373 miles for its next three launches, including the Polestar 3. In that case, expect the ‘Luxury Aero SUV’ to deliver an EPA-est. range of around 300 miles.
Polestar plans to include a 103 kWh battery pack in its cars, and the Polestar 3 could be the first recipient. It will be an 800-volt battery pack developed using Volvo Cars and Lotus technology. A multi high-speed charging system will allow switching between 800 volts and 400 volts. Using an 800-volt charger, it will take approximately 20 minutes to charge the battery to 80% SoC.
According to Green Car Reports, the power output for bi-directional charging would be set at 20 kW. Ultra-fast charging to 80% may take just about 20 minutes.
The Polestar 3 electric SUV will be about drivability, design, and “offering something different,” Polestar’s chief operating officer, Jonathan Goodman had told Carbuyer.co.uk.
A key difference between the production Volvo Concept Recharge and the Polestar sport utility vehicle will be the seating capacity. Where the family-friendly Volvo model will continue to offer up to 7 seats, the Polestar 3 will be a strict five-seater.
The Polestar 3 is equipped with plenty of technology, comfort, and convenience, with premium features like Polestar Digital Key, video streaming app, premium Harman Kardon sound system, etc.
The Polestar 3’s main attractions will include hands-free, autonomous driving with ‘Highway Pilot.’ SAE Level 3 could be the targeted level of autonomy in this model’s case, achievable with a software upgrade later during the lifecycle. Polestar has told investors that the 3 will gain “unsupervised highway pilot” at some point during its lifecycle. Zenseact will provide the software for the 3’s Highway Pilot.
The 3’s automated driving system hardware could be technically related to that of the Volvo Embla. NVIDIA DRIVE Orin SoC will power the autonomous driving computer, and a LiDAR sensor developed by Luminar will be standard.
The Polestar 3 will feature an infotainment system powered by Android Automotive OS. Using onboard functions via the vehicle’s center screen would be very easy and familiar for customers, especially those accustomed to Android devices like smartphones, tablets, and TVs. Customers can download apps via the Google Play Store and use everyday apps like Google Maps, Spotify, Audible, and Google Podcasts on the go directly in the infotainment system. With Google Assistant, users can enjoy voice commands with the familiar prompt phrase “Hey Google.”
