The 2023 Polestar 3 American electric car is scheduled to debut in October.
Polestar on Tuesday unveiled a first look at the Polestar 3, which is scheduled to debut in October.
The Polestar 3 is a mid-size electric SUV twin to Volvo's upcoming electric successor to the XC90 (which may be called the Embra), and both will be built at the Volvo plant in Charleston, South Carolina, where the Volvo S60 is currently built. Production will also be for the Chinese market.
Production is scheduled to begin in early 2023 and will likely be introduced as a 2023 model. Volvo's SPA2 platform was initially developed for electric vehicles, but can also accommodate hybrid powertrains.
The two SUVs have different styling, with the Polestar 3's design clearly influenced by Polestar's recent "Precept" concept (video below), while the XC90's successor will be more Volvo's "Recharge" concept It will be closer to Volvo's Recharge concept. The Volvo's roof is also expected to be flatter than the curved roof of the Polestar 3.
Both cars will have a dual-motor all-wheel drive system and enough battery capacity for a range of over 300 miles, plus a built-in rider for the self-driving system planned for the highway.
The Polestar 3 will be differentiated from its Volvo siblings by a greater emphasis on performance; in an interview with Motor Authority in 2021, Polestar Americas boss Gregor Hembrow said that Polestar's target is Porsche said.
Paulstar 3 will specifically target the Porsche Cayenne, followed by Paulstar 4 and Paulstar 5, which are expected to target the upcoming electric Macan and Taikan, respectively, according to a 2021 presentation outlining the upcoming lineup. The name Polestar comes from an independent racing team and tuning company that was later acquired by Volvo.
With the new models, Polestar hopes to increase sales tenfold, from about 29,000 units in 2021 to 290,000 by the end of 2025.