Polestar has officially unveiled its first model, the Polestar 1, which is a plug-in hybrid high-performance coupe. As expected the Polestar 1 takes lots of DNA from the 2013 Volvo Concept Coupe, while it also borrows some parts from Volvo’s “90” Series models and the XC60.
The big news is that the Polestar 1 will enter production in mid-2019. It will be powered by a plug-in hybrid powertrain that generates an insane 600 horsepower and 737 lb-ft. of torque. Polestar hasn’t revealed the battery details, but the Polestar 1 will have an electric driving range up to 93 miles, which is currently the longest electric driving range of any plug-in hybrid.
The Polestar 1’s body is made from carbon fiber, which helped it lose about 500 pounds, while torsional stiffness improved 45 percent.
Polestar hasn’t released the performance specs for the Polestar 1. “Most electric cars are fast – that’s a product of the attributes of an electric motor. However, for Polestar, performance is far more holistic than just straight-line speed. It’s about acceleration, of course, but it’s also about cornering, braking, suspension control, chassis feedback and steering feel. This is what Polestar calls Progressive Performance,” said Thomas Ingenlath, Chief Executive Officer of Polestar.
Polestar only plans to produce 500 units a year of the Polestar 1.
Following the debut of the Polestar 1 in 2019, Polestar will also introduce two other models, the Polestar 2 and Polestar 3. The Polestar 2 will also arrive in 2019 and will be the first fully electric vehicle from the Volvo Car Group. The Polestar 2 will be a midsize electric car that will rival the Tesla Model 3.
The Polestar 3 will be a electric SUV that will be priced in between the Polestar 1 and Polestar 2 models.
“Being part of the Volvo Car Group enables Polestar to design, develop and engineer our cars using the processes of a well-established car company but at the same time, enables us to experiment with new technology in lower volume cars outside the mainstream segments. This pace of development means as we announce the future of the company, we can also already confirm that a portfolio of three Polestar cars will be on sale within the next four year timescale,” continued Thomas Ingenlath.
Source: Polestar
