New, improved Polestar 2 gets 395-mile range model

By Sam Phillips

24 Jan 2023

The Polestar 2 is getting a host of new styling and technical updates, with the electric saloon receiving a revised front-end inspired by the Polestar 3 and an updated long range rear-wheel drive variant.

The Swedish EV went on sale in 2019 as a high-riding saloon aimed at the premium electric car market. Since its launch the 2 has received over-the-air updates, with the Long range Dual motor model gaining an extra 67bhp and 15 lb ft of torque.

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Now the firm is revising its first electric car, with one of the most notable visual changes being a new smooth grille named Smartzone, taken from the inbound Polestar 3.

The Smartzone houses some of the 2’s most important safety features, including a front facing camera and mid-range radar.

Alongside the new grille, the Polestar 2’s 20-inch forged alloy wheels that come with Performance Pack have been updated to “align the Polestar 2 in its sportiest expression with that of the Polestar 3”.

“Typically in the car industry, a facelift introduces superficial visual changes that often destroy the original intention of the car’s design theme,” said Polestar CEO, Thomas Ingenlath.

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“With the new model year Polestar 2, we rather went below the surface and upgraded substantial tech and mechanical components of the electric drivetrain. This is the best Polestar 2 yet, and with the updated front design with the new SmartZone, the best looking one, too.”

The new Polestar 2 will also get the firm’s next-generation electric motors and inverters, which the Volvo spin-off says offer better efficiency and performance. Single-motor models are now rear-wheel driven, powered by a new permanent magnet motor and silicon carbide inverter.

Polestar 2’s new motor has a power output of up to 220kW and 361 lb ft torque, allowing for a 0-62mph time of 6.2 seconds - that’s 1.2 seconds faster than the current generation model.

The Swedish car maker says that dual-motor versions will have a rear-bias that “increases driving pleasure and performance”, with the future Polestar 2 gaining a re-balanced drivetrain set-up and torque-ratio.

Dual-motor variants will have 310kW and 545 lb ft torque, meaning a 0-62mph sprint will take just 4.5 seconds. Polestar says that the front motor can be disengaged when not needed, improving efficiency and range.

Add the Performance Pack and the 0-62mph run drops to 4.2 seconds, with a peak power output of 350kW.

Polestar has also revised the variants in the 2’s line-up. The entry-level Single motor version offers up to 322 miles of range, up by 25 miles on the first-generation model.

Most intriguing is the updated Long range Single motor variant, which has a range of up to 395 miles; that’s 21 miles more than the Tesla Model 3 Long Range and 30 miles more than the BMW i4 eDrive40. The Long range Dual motor model will arrive with a range of up to 368 miles, an increase of 65 miles.

Long Range models feature a 82kWh while the standard range variants get a 69kWh unit. Polestar says its updated batteries feature a redesigned battery disconnect unit, upgraded busbars and improved cell chemistry - this allows for faster charging rates of up to 205kW.

The 2024 Polestar 2 is available to order now, with first deliveries expected in the third quarter of 2023. Prices start from £44,950.

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