- Polestar CEO Thomas Ingenlath revealed some more details about the upcoming Polestar 3 SUV.
- It will be a two-row crossover with a sloping roofline, and it will offer single- and dual-motor configurations.
- The 3 will be built in the U.S. and is set to arrive in 2022.
Polestar’s creation as a standalone brand back in 2017 came well ahead of any products, but the Volvo EV subsidiary is now trying to catch up with an aggressive schedule that aims to introduce a new model each year. So after the Polestar 1 PHEV coupe and the Polestar 2 EV crossover, we will be seeing the Polestar 3 next year.
While Polestar has only released a few details of the forthcoming electric SUV, and a single teaser image of it beneath a sheet, we are able to add some more details following a conversation with company CEO Thomas Ingenlath at last week’s Munich auto show.
Firstly, to no great surprise given the low roofline evident in the official picture, Ingenlath confirmed the Polestar 3 will only have two rows of seats.
“I have nothing against three-rows per se,” he said, “but the second we did do that you guys would be asking what was the differentiation to to the XC90. . .Having two rows gives the opportunity to give the car that aerodynamic roofline, it gives the chance to emphasize the space between the first and second rows, which really gives the second row a luxurious feeling.”
The Polestar 3 will be built in the U.S, in the South Carolina plant that is building the Volvo S60 and will also make the next-generation XC90. Ingenlath promises the new car will be offered with a powertrain giving “a top power position that is unique to Polestar,” and therefore beyond EV versions of the XC90. But he also confirmed in Munich that, as with the Polestar 2, the plan is to offer both single-motor and dual-motor versions.
“I definitely see that as a good combination,” he said, “at the end of the day the twin motor has a bit more power and acceleration, but there are lots of people who don’t need that thrill. And there are lots of people who don’t need all-wheel drive. So in Norway or Austria we will always sell more all-wheel drive. But in China or the U.S. lots of people are happy with the single motor.”
Beyond the 3, Polestar is committed to building a production version of its stylish Precept concept. Despite the seemingly unstoppable shift towards SUVs, Ingenlath insists the decision to commission a low-roofed sedan is the right one.
“I really believe in a world where everyone is not happy with one dish,” he said, “that would be so boring. Most restaurants try to cater for different tastes, and being a brand that would only have SUV would be terrifying for me.”
While predicting the Polestar 2 will be the brand’s biggest seller globally, Ingenlath said the Polestar 3 should help to propel the brand’s total production to over 100,000 cars. Which won’t scare Tesla, but which would—if delivered in the short term—make it one of the more successful pure EV brands.
One thing Polestar won’t be doing is returning to top-flight racing, despite the brand’s origin running touring cars for Volvo.
“We have so many things to concentrate on, I don’t think our customers would understand if we were to indulge in that,” Ingenlath said, although he suggested lower-level collaborations could still happen.
We’ll bring you more information about the Polestar 3 as we get it, and ahead of sales beginning late next year.
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Source: Motor - aranddriver.com
