It’s basically a Volvo XC40
It should come as no surprise that Polestar’s first EV is a bit of a Volvo. It shares the ‘Compact Modular Architecture’ platform with the XC40 SUV, which has been on sale for over two years already and is getting its own battery-electric version. Said platform can accommodate conventional, plug-in hybrid and pure electric drivetrains, with the EVs getting a reinforced crash structure and Tesla-style ‘frunk’.
The XC40 ‘Recharge’ and Polestar 2 both use the same powertrain – a 78kWh battery and dual motors for all-wheel drive. A combined 402bhp means 0-62mph in under five seconds. In the Polestar that translates to 292 miles of range, while the bigger, bluffer XC40 only manages around 250 miles.
Happily, just because the Polestar shares a platform with a small SUV doesn’t mean it drives like one. Admittedly we haven’t driven a normal one yet, but a P2 fitted with the optional £5,000 Performance Pack (which includes big Brembo brakes and MANUALLY ADJUSTABLE dampers) is genuinely good fun.
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