The new Polestar 2 in Jupiter. Source: Polestar
Australian customers of the popular Polestar 2 electric car have been told they have to go through the ordering process again, after their original orders were canceled due to new features.
“We would like to inform you that we have recently introduced a new-specification Polestar 2 with upgraded features and your ordered model is no longer available,” says the email, sent to an unspecified number of Polestar 2 customers.
The customers, some of whom are very unhappy – “bloody ridiculous”, posted one in a Facebook group – were told that the order could be converted at no extra cost, and they would get priority deliveries when the factory produced the new models.
It is not clear how many customers are affected. Polestar has delivered 208 of the EVs up to the end of April, with around another 60 anticipated for May, according to carloop. Polestar did not respond to our queries.
Polestar 2 entered the Australian market in late 2021 at just under $59,900 for a Standard Range model with 69kWh battery and a single rear motor, but the base model now starts at $63,900 before on-road costs.
Likewise, the Long Range variant with 78kWh battery and a single rear motor now starts at $68,400 up from $64,900 and the Long Range with dual motor starts at $73,400, up from $69,900. Most customer to date have opted for the more expensive longer range version.
But the customers still waiting for their deliveries will have to now go back online, cancel their existing order, get a refund, and then put in a new order.
“We’ve expanded the colour palette with two newly available exterior hues – Space and Jupiter. The standard 19-inch and optional 20-inch wheels sees an aesthetic upgrade while interior-wise, there’s a new Zinc Nappa leather option to replace Barley,” the Polestar email says. “And much more.”
The Polestar 2 has been a very popular addition to the small but growing fleet of electric vehicles in Australia. It is, along with the Tesla Model 3, the only electric sedan sitting in the $60,000 to $80,000 price bracket, and with good performance.
But delivery problems have bedeviled Polestar, which has only recently set up shop in Australia. Many customers have complained of delays and missed deadlines. That, however, was also true of the initial roll out of the Tesla Model 3.
Keyword: Polestar 2 customers told to refile their orders as features change