The folks at Polestar, Volvo's performance electric subsidiary, may be keen to market their cars as being entirely distinct from Volvo models but there’s no doubting where the company gets its inspiration and many of its components from.
From the moment you sit into the Polestar 2, there’s a sense of having been here before. Built on the Volvo XC 40 platform and featuring almost the exact same steering wheel, the Polestar 2 - the company’s first offering in Ireland - can’t really hide what underpins it.
Also, with the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Kia’s EV 6 leading something of a design revolution for bigger electric cars, the Polestar has a few hints of Volvo’s signature traditional design for bigger saloon models. There, of course, design innovations, such as the rimless wing mirrors and an elongated rear light cluster but the overall design of the Polestar 2 is somewhat understated.
The 2 has a fastback design and some sharp edges yet it still seems quite reminiscent of Volvo’s large saloon offerings. Interestingly, however, some preview images of what Polestar has coming down the tracks next seem to suggest those similarities will be short-lived and besides the Polestar 2 design is already two years old.
Inside, the 2 has a distinctly Volvo feel in terms of cabin layout and the 11" tablet screen that sits high between driver and front seat passenger. Much of the appeal of electric cars is how the recovered space is used. Oddly, the centre console is quite bulky in this car but that presumably is meant to somehow emphasise the performance element, as are the seats.
Then there's the strong marketing of sustainability appeal. Many of the materials used in the car are re-cycled, including discarded fishing nets for the carpets.
There are quite a few innovative features too. Your phone, for example, will connect straight to your Google accounts, such as email. The key is a digital feature on your phone and there's no start button. It’s a case of connect and off you go. Oh, and you have one pedal drive too, which is a welcome addition.
What we used to call servicing is now called "over the air" software updating and Polestar says you won't need to do anything with this car for two years but, if you do have a problem, you can take the car to a Volvo dealership.
In Ireland, the Polestar 2 model range will include three versions, offering a mix of performance and range. The entry level single motor version has a 231 hp / 330 Nm electric motor and a 69 kWh battery pack that Polestar says can deliver a range of up to 474 km. It comes in at 54,500 Euros, which seems a little punchy until you consider that many standard new cars in Ireland are costing about 40,000 Euros.
With a bigger 78 kWh capacity battery and 231 horse power, second version range is claimed as being up to 542 km. This version costs 58,248 Euros and a long range Dual motor variant with two electric motors and the same 78 kWh battery, a third version with 408 horse power has a claimed range of 482 km.
Regular readers will be mindful of my strong previous caveats about claimed ranges for electric cars. They are claims in most cases and seldom match real world driving conditions. We'll have to wait for a longer drive to see how Polestar claims stack up.
