The 2024 Polestar 2 electric sedan has debuted in Europe ahead of its local launch in the second half of the year.
Snapshot
- 2024 Polestar 2 electric sedan revealed
- Updated model shifts to rear-wheel-drive for single-motor variants; rear-bias for AWD models
- Faster charging, longer driving range, more standard equipment and minor facelift
As with its related Volvo XC40 and C40 Recharge twins, the updated 2024 Polestar 2 will shift from front- to rear-wheel-drive, as part of its model-year revision.
JUMP AHEAD
- What’s new?
- Powertrains
- Batteries and charging time
- Availability
What’s new?
The updated Polestar 2 received a minor facelift for greater familiarity with the forthcoming Polestar 3 electric SUV, which eschews the current Volvo-derived design language for a look penned by Polestar’s own team.
This includes the ‘SmartZone’, a body-coloured panel situated where a traditional grille would sit that incorporates its mid-range radar sensor and front-facing camera, and redesigned 20-inch alloy wheels in the optional Performance Pack.
Polestar has enhanced standard equipment with the much-needed addition of blind-spot alert, rear cross-traffic alert, reverse autonomous emergency braking, a 360-degree camera system, a wireless phone charger, and auto-dimming side mirrors – but adaptive cruise control remains optional.
It follows a minor update for model-year 2023, which introduced aero-focused 19-inch alloy wheels, new exterior colours, improved technology, and significant price rises.
Powertrains
As before, the lineup opens with a single-motor option, with a standard- or long-range battery. However, both variants are now rear-wheel-drive with up to 220kW and 490Nm – a 50kW and 160Nm improvement. This has reduced its 0-100km/h sprint time to 6.2 seconds (down 1.2s), while dynamic performance is said to be improved.
Meanwhile, the dual-motor version has received a re-balanced drivetrain and torque ratio, allowing for a rear-drive bias. It includes a new rear motor as the primary drive source, with 310kW and 740Nm – up 10kW and 80Nm – and a 0-100km/h time of 4.5 seconds.
The optional Performance Pack for the dual-motor long-range increases power to 350kW and a 0-100km/h sprint time of 4.2 seconds.
While the power boost can be purchased over-the-air, the factory-fit package includes 20-inch alloy wheels, performance summer tyres, gold four-piston Brembo front calipers, gold seatbelts, and Öhlins adaptive dampers.
Batteries and charging time
The updated Polestar 2 sports ‘next-generation’ electric motors and inverters for an increased driving range, faster charging speeds and enhanced performance.
It also features updated lithium-ion batteries, with a 69kWh unit for standard-range models and a larger 82kWh unit for long-range variants – up 4kWh. Both include a “redesigned battery disconnect unit, upgraded busbars and improved cell chemistry”, which has allowed for a WLTP-rated driving range boost of up to 635 kilometres for the long-range single-motor variant.
This is an improvement of around 85 kilometres, while the standard-range single-motor is up 40km to 518km, and the long-range dual-motor has increased by a substantial 105km to 592 kilometres.
Similar to cylinder de-activation technology in internal-combustion vehicles for improved efficiency, the significant improvement for the dual-motor long-range is said to be led by the new ability to disengage the front electric motor when it isn’t required, with instant re-engagement when more power is needed.
And once the battery starts to deplete, Polestar says it has enabled faster DC charging rates of up to 205kW for long-range batteries and 135kW for the standard-range – up 54kW and 2kW, respectively.
The carbon emissions for the larger 82kWh battery have decreased compared to the previous 78kWh unit, at 5.9 tonnes per car versus seven tonnes previously.
Availability
The 2024 Polestar 2 will become available to order in Australia in the second quarter (April to June inclusive), with first deliveries expected between July and September.
Updated pricing for the United Kingdom suggests local pricing could increase between $3000 and $6000, with the highest rise likely for the dual-motor long-range variant.
Full pricing and specifications for Australia will be released in the coming weeks, so stay tuned to Wheels for the latest information.
Keyword: 2024 Polestar 2 revealed with RWD, longer range, faster charging