What’s happening
Polestar confirmed the debut of its next electric car, the Polestar 3, will take place in October.
Why it matters
Polestar’s first crack at a massive market — SUVs — should turn a few more heads in its direction.
Polestar’s first two cars have been a six-figure plug-in hybrid coupe and a low-ish-riding hatchback. Those aren’t exactly the most popular body styles in the US, but don’t worry, the Volvo offshoot isn’t staying out of the zeitgeist permanently. In fact, we’ll see its next vehicle later this year.
Polestar confirmed this week that the Polestar 3 electric SUV will make its debut this October. The announcement came in a press release showing the automaker achieved record sales for the first four months of 2022. 13,600 units might not be big in, say, the Toyota Tacoma scheme of things, but it represents a twofold increase in sales over the year prior.
Being part of a sales press release, Polestar didn’t say too much about the 3. From the teaser image we’ve seen, the Polestar 3 looks to adopt many of the styling cues present on the Polestar 2 hatchback, albeit in a higher-riding form with a more SUV-appropriate rear. In an interview late last year, CEO Thomas Ingenlath told CNET Cars that the Polestar 3’s styling will “define the look for SUVs in the electric age.” Talk about a tall order.
The press release also reiterated that the Polestar 3 will be manufactured in both the US and China. Every Polestar 3 we receive will roll out from Volvo’s factory in Charleston, South Carolina. In that same interview, Ingenlath said that the Polestar 3 will one day be equipped with Luminar lidar and Nvidia’s self-driving platform, which would enable some degree of handsfree operation on the highway. This sounds like it may be a later addition to the vehicle, though.
Of course, it’s hard to determine a car’s size when it is shown by itself, camouflaged inside a large stone building. The Polestar 3 might look compact, but it’s not. It’s actually aimed at the Porsche Cayenne, and its price tag should be, too; that would put it somewhere in the $70,000 range. As for actual range, the company is aiming for somewhere in the ballpark of 370 miles. If that’s a bit too big and expensive for you, keep an eye out for the Polestar 4, which should be closer to the Porsche Macan in size and cost.
Keyword: Polestar 3 Electric SUV Slated for October Debut