Precept concept. Source: Polestar
Off the back of its dig at Tesla and VW in its Super Bowl advertisement, Polestar is making a move that it thinks could set it apart from other EV makers for “years to come.”
The super-sleek Polestar 5, due for launch in 2024, will weigh in lighter than a normal small car, thanks to a bonded aluminium platform that will unlock more range and acceleration.
Developed in-house by the Swedish brand’s UK engineering team, the lightweight frame will add torsion rigidity superior to a two-door sports car and “class-leading” dynamics, the EV maker said on Wednesday.
It will also mean better energy efficiency – something that the Polestar 2, along with its sister EV, the Volvo XC40 Recharge, could do better at. Both vehicles we tested have a 78kWh battery yet offer only around 370km driving range.
The upshot of less energy consumption is that the Polestar 5 will either be able to use a smaller battery, or have a longer driving range.
Polestar CEO Thomas Ingelnath thinks Polestar’s ability to engineer the very lightweight, yet safe, frame will be the making of Polestar, saying the “mix of engineering and technological expertise enables us to develop advanced, light-weight sports car technology with a creative mindset and a spirit that embraces innovative engineering.
“This will set Polestar apart in the years to come,” he said in a statement.
Source: Polestar
The four-door Polestar 5 grand tourer is based on the Precept concept, and will be the first to use Polestar’s new in-house platform.
Specifications for the Polestar 5 are naturally still a long way off, but as it is expected to go up against Tesla’s premium Model S expect ranges of 500-600km.
The Polestar 5, once launched, will join four EVs preceding it in numerical order. Since the introduction of the Polestar 1 hybrid, the first vehiclemade by Volvo’s high-performance brand, it has been joined by the Polestar 2 fastback which launched in Australia in late 2021.
A Polestar 3 electric SUV is to launch overseas later in 2022, and a Polestar 4 premium coupe is expected to arrive in 2023. All are earmarked for Australia, with timing to be confirmed.
With a plan to sell 290,000 vehicles by 2025, Polestar has underlined its commitment to global rollout and will expand its European presence into Spain, Portugal, and Ireland in the first half of 2022, as well as into the Middle East, starting with Israel.
Keyword: New Polestar 5 electric grand tourer to weigh less than a small car