U.S.-made 2023 Paulstar 3 debuts on October 12 with maximum output of 510 hp.
Polestar on Wednesday offered a fresh look at the Polestar 3, which is confirmed to debut on October 12 in Copenhagen, Denmark.
The Polestar 3 is the mid-size electric SUV twin to the upcoming electric successor to the XC90 (recently confirmed to be called the EX90) that Volvo will debut on November 9. Both will be built at the Volvo plant in Charleston, South Carolina, where the Volvo S60 is currently produced. 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 new SPA2 platform was developed for electric vehicles from the outset, but can support hybrid powertrains.
The two SUVs will have different styling, with the design of the Polestar 3 clearly influenced by Polestar's recent "Precept" concept (video), while the XC90 successor will be closer to Volvo's "Recharge" concept It will be. The Volvo's roof is also expected to be flatter than the curved roof of the Polestar 3.
Both cars will feature a dual-motor all-wheel drive system and have a range of over 300 miles. The Paulstar 3 will be further differentiated from its Volvo siblings by focusing more on performance; in an interview with Motor Authority in 2021, Paulstar Americas boss Gregor Hembrow said that the target for the Paulstar is Porsche ...
The Paulstar 3 powertrain will feature a rear torque bias and a dual-clutch system on the rear axle that splits torque between the wheels. According to Polestar, the available Performance Pack provides the Polestar 3 with 510 hp and 671 lb-ft of torque.
The chassis will also be upgraded over the Volvo. In addition to a rear axle torque split, the Polestar 3 will feature Polestar's uniquely tuned air suspension and adaptive dampers. The suspension adjusts to the conditions every two milliseconds.
Polestar 3 will also incorporate a rider, which will ultimately assist with the vehicle's various electronic driver assistance functions, including an automated driving system on the highway. Lidar will be provided by Luminar, and Nvidia computers will be used for its data processing.
Prices will start around 75,000 euros (about $71,560) and go up to 110,000 euros (about $105,960), Polestar CEO Thomas Ingenlath said in July.
The Polestar 3 will specifically target the Porsche Cayenne, followed by the Polestar 4 and Polestar 5, which will 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 model, Polestar hopes to grow its sales tenfold, from about 29,000 units in 2021 to 290,000 by the end of 2025.
To achieve this goal, Polestar is also rapidly expanding its sales network. The company has just entered its 25th market, up from just 10 in 2020, and plans to expand to 30 by the end of 2023.