After an extensive teaser program and transparent launch plan, Polestar has finally revealed its next car, the Polestar 3 large SUV.
Using the same underpinnings as the Volvo XC90, the Polestar 3 will play in the large premium electric category as yet only served by cars like the Tesla Model X and BMW iX. It will likely also rival premium EVs in the mid-size space, like the Mercedes-Benz EQC and Audi e-tron S.
The Polestar 3 will be a performance-focused offering with a dual-motor powertrain standard from launch, although power figures are yet to be confirmed. The brand says it is targeting an over 600km driving range for its first large SUV.
While Polestar has yet to provide figures for the car in this department, it is likely to feature the Polestar-specific ‘P10’ motor featured in the brand’s investor briefing last year, producing 450kW in rear-drive form, or 650kW in dual-motor form. A two-speed transmission is also mentioned, as is a new-generation 800-volt lithium-ion battery with a capacity of 103kWh and capability for bi-directional charging.
The styling is a marked departure from both the Volvo XC90 and the Polestar 2, with the brand evolving its light clusters away from the ‘Thor’s hammer’ design featured in the Volvo range and on the 2.
Interestingly, the Polestar 3 also features an integrated spoiler atop the bonnet, as well as at the rear.
The rearmost light clusters are also more horizontal than the style used by Volvo, working their way across the boot lid rather than up the edges.
A contrasting roof, and black plastic cladding sell the SUV aesthetic.
Overall, the design is more of a coupe-performance-SUV look than the family-friendly boxy design of its XC90 relation.
As to what to expect from pricing, Polestar has made no secret of the fact that it plans to target the Porsche Cayenne with the 3, with prices for the German performance SUV currently reaching from $145,900 before on-road costs to $352,700.
Finally, a new safety suite is confirmed to feature on the Polestar 3, with a what the brand describes as a “best-in-class LiDAR sensor from Luminar and centralized NVIDIA computing power”.
The Polestar 3 will be built in two facilities, one in the US and one in China, with Australian-delivered cars most likely to be sourced from the Chinese facilities, as the Polestar 2 currently is.
Polestar aims to sell 290,000 cars globally by 2025, with its executives telling CarsGuide earlier this year that it seems on-target to hit its goals.
The Polestsar 3 is expected to launch before the end of this year for an early 2023 arrival in Australia, stay tuned as we learn more about the SUV closer to its launch window.
Keyword: 2023 Polestar 3 finally revealed! Stylish electric SUV arrives to take the fight to the Tesla Model X and BMW iX with over 600km of driving range