The very first thing you need to know concerning the new Polestar 3 electrical SUV is that it’s large. Very large. It has an enormous price ticket, it’s lengthy, it’s heavy, and it’s obtained very large wheels, so large that they give the impression of being virtually like they have been placed on the mistaken automobile.
However right here’s the bizarre factor. The Polestar 3 doesn’t really look large. And it doesn’t really feel large both, notably within the driver’s seat. It’s gentle and simple and an actual pleasure to drive, notably on the windy, hilly roads that took us throughout the north-east of Tasmania after which down its east coast in a media drive occasion.
And that, I suppose, it’s what you would possibly really feel you deserve if you’re prepared to pay $132,000 (plus on roads) for an electrical automobile (or $141,900 plus on roads for the efficiency model).
On this worth vary, electrical wins over fossil fuels palms down. Polestar’s benefit is that the majority of its rivals on this worth vary are asking their prospects to pay a big premium for the “model”, so the worth of the Polestar 3 is what is definitely within the automobile, and the thought that went into its design.
I’ve pushed excessive priced EVs from many legacy premium automakers and gosh, most are very good. However in virtually all of the circumstances – with the notable exception of the Genesis GV60 – I’ve seen X quantity of worth, and been left to marvel what made up the remainder of the asking worth. I suppose it was the brand.
Polestar impressed just a few years in the past with the launch of its electrical fast-back, the Polestar 2 – whose efficiency, dealing with and styling turned just a few heads away from its greatest competitor, the Tesla Mannequin 3.
The Polestar 3 is to the Polestar 2 what the Tesla Mannequin Y is to the Mannequin 3 – a better journey, by way of handing, and a premium efficiency – and Polestar has determined to throw in luxurious, quite a lot of further goodies, thought and design improvements – each in appears and dealing with – that make it good worth for cash for these with deep sufficient pockets.
The Polestar 3 is a crucial enterprise for Polestar, the Swedish-based offshoot of Volvo that also has sturdy hyperlinks with its motoring blood-lines, and which is now majority owned by China’s Geely, which appear to personal nearly every little thing.
It’s been a troublesome 12 months for the model, given delays in its product launches and a tumbling share worth that has taken its toll on administration each at HQ and overseas, together with in Australia.
The Polestar 3 is quickly to be adopted by the Polestar 4, a smaller SUV on the finish of this 12 months, and a sportier Polestar 5 in 2025. There may be even a Polestar 6 roadster promised for 2026. A lot depends upon their success.
The very first thing you discover concerning the Polestar 3 is that the corporate has lastly obtained the inside sorted. The Polestar 2 appeared like a missed alternative to create further house on an electrical platform, with its tight, cock-pit model entrance seating preparations and cramped leg room within the again.
The Polestar 3 avoids that failing – firstly by producing a flat flooring, checking out the center console and benefiting from its size (4.9 metres) to supply loads of leg room each back and front.
There’s a lot to love concerning the inside, from the massive display and the easy, straightforward to observe lay out of controls and icons that rival Tesla of their magnificence and value. The route planning is great, and it has 5 radar, 5 exterior cameras and 12 ultrasonic sensors as commonplace. So in case you seem like you would possibly hit one thing, you’ll be informed.
It has significantly better seats – high quality, fossil free supplies and changes that embrace a number of helps and even therapeutic massage choices. And there’s a 25-speaker Bowers & Wilkins audio system, so the sound is sorted, and the street noise is minimal, which makes all of it worthwhile. That is in spite of everything, a luxurious car. Just like the Polestar 2, it has a glass roof.
The Polestar 3 actually is heavy, coming in at 2.6 tonnes (in comparison with 1.9 tonnes for a Mannequin Y), courtesy of the whopping 111 kWh NMC battery. However you don’t really feel it. The Polestar engineers have completed quite a lot of work on torque management and suspension, and that’s aided by the low centre of gravity that the battery delivers.
What I preferred most about driving this EV was the one pedal driving. It’s pretty much as good as Tesla, and higher than every other EV providing. In a 90 km drive up and down dale throughout the north of Tasmania, I don’t suppose I wanted to the touch the brake pedal as soon as. And that’s the best way it needs to be.
For the lifetime of me I can’t perceive why different automobile makers reduce corners on this magnificent function of electrical automobile driving. Maybe that’s as a result of, like Tesla, Polestar is an electrical solely automobile firm. They don’t really feel obliged to make compromises for customers scuffling with the concept of doing one thing in another way.
What it means is that the dealing with of this car is actually fairly extraordinary. It’s so enjoyable to drive. The efficiency variant will get you to from 0 to 100 kmh in 4.7 seconds and it actually does has some pep, however it’s the steering by means of bends and corners that delivers probably the most pleasure.
These large 22″ wheels assist, as does the prolonged 2.9 metre wheelbase, however largely it’s the results of some intelligent work together with an “lively chassis” and the torque vectoring system, which makes use of clutches on the rear axle to maneuver energy from one facet to the opposite to assist cornering and ship stability. It’s terribly responsive.
The outside may be very Polestar: Distinctive, barely boxy however with elegant traces, consideration to element, and high-quality and aerodynamic touches that you’d count on from a designer workforce of Swedes carrying skivvies and leather-based jackets.
There may be even a winglet on the entrance, and on the again, however for all of the aerodynamic touches it nonetheless consumes a hefty 22 kWh per 100 kms. We clocked up 24 kWh within the efficiency model, however that’s partly as a result of we spent quite a lot of time testing its acceleration. However who wouldn’t. It was enjoyable.
That large battery delivers vary that Polestar places at as much as 700 kms (WLTP) for the much less highly effective single motor model that may arrive subsequent 12 months (from $118,420 earlier than on roads). That battery is greater than twice the scale of my unique Mannequin 3 (50 kWh) and it does make you marvel concerning the sustainability of those large automobiles and these large batteries.
It does appear at instances like the reply to an issue that doesn’t exist. Do we actually want 700 kms vary? And the scale?
It’s like a by no means ending spiral – large vehicles require an enormous battery to ship the efficiency and the vary. Polestar places quite a lot of retailer on its inexperienced credentials, and makes use of aluminium and manufacturing produced by inexperienced vitality solely, and is cautious about its selection of supplies and the sourcing of minerals.
It says the carbon footprint for the Polestar 3 is 24.7t/Co2 equal, which it notes is a lower than the a lot smaller Polestar 2 when it was first rolled out in 2020. However it’s greater than the up to date 2023 model of the Polestar 2..
Polestar has a “moonshot” aim to provide a “local weather impartial” EV by 2030, with out offsets. That will imply eliminating all greenhouse gasoline emissions from each side of the availability chain and manufacturing. It’s a moonshot aim as a result of it signifies that each a part of a Polestar should sourced and produced in ways in which at present don’t exist.
That’s most likely not going to occur in that time-frame, and as worthy because the aim is, Polestar must be cautious to indicate that it’s greater than advertising spin, a splash of greenwash over an already admirable product. However all that being stated, in case you should purchase a excessive performing and sizeable SUV, then this stands out as your best option.
Polestar has chosen to deal with being a premium luxurious electrical model, maybe as a result of it has determined that it could actually’t compete with the Chinese language manufacturers, regardless of its Chinese language possession.
But when Polestar 3 does in addition to hoped, and the Polestar 4 and Polestar 5 and the Polestar 6 electrical roadster ship as anticipated, maybe it will be good to take these learnings and construct a low price, zero footprint and small EV. Simply to indicate it may be completed. Our future would possibly rely on sustainability being reasonably priced.
Within the meantime, in case you do have the {dollars}, you’ll wrestle to search out higher worth for the cash than the Polestar 3. It’s terribly enjoyable to drive, appears good, and has the trimmings and luxury to go well with.
Giles Parkinson is founder and editor of The Pushed, and in addition edits and based the Renew Economic system and One Step Off The Grid websites. He has been a journalist for almost 40 years, is a former enterprise and deputy editor of the Australian Monetary Evaluate, and owns a Tesla Mannequin 3.