Flawed Genius
James Fossdyke finds out whether Scandi brand Polestar can really take the eco-friendly fight to Tesla
If Boris Johnson is to be believed, electric cars are the future. Someday soon we will be zipping about the country in silence, with the clatter of exploding petrol replaced by the quieter and cleaner hum of electrons. No more washing smelly diesel off your hands after a trip to the filling station; instead youโll simply plug into a nearby lamp post to recharge the batteries.
Thatโs the dream, at least. For the time being, the reality is somewhat less appealing. Instead of refilling the tank in a matter of minutes, you spend hours sipping tepid coffee in miserable motorway service stations while the charger transfers power as grudgingly as Donald Trump. Instead of blatting down the motorway with music blaring, you sit in cold silence at 56mph, desperately hoping the car will hold enough charge to get you home.
Unless, of course, you own a Tesla. The cars will drive a long way between charges, and the Supercharger network is reliable and fast, all of which means you spend less time with your nose in a disgusting flat white from Stellaโs butty van.
But now thereโs a new company on the scene, and itโs here to play Tesla at its own game. Unless youโre a fan of niche motorsport or high-performance Volvos, youโve probably never heard the name Polestar. But the company that started out turning Volvos into race cars is now building its own cutting-edge eco-friendly vehicles that play Tesla at its own game.
Key to this fight is the new Polestar 2 โ a ยฃ50,000 four-door designed to take on the Tesla Model 3. With two electric motors providing 402bhp and four-wheel drive, as well as a 78kWh battery that (allegedly) offers up to 292 miles of all-electric driving, it stacks up well.
It works on the road, too, because unlike a Tesla, the interior doesnโt feel as though itโs made from old wheelie bins. Although that might be down to the fact Polestar has nicked half the interior trim from a Volvo. And the touchscreen is based on a sort of Android operating system, meaning it works just like your mobile phone. All of which makes the Polestar cleaner and more intuitive than pretty much any other car on the road. Combine that with strong performance, fine handling and decent ride comfort, and itโs every inch the premium saloon. In fact, itโs better than a Tesla.
Or at least it would be, were it not for one fundamental flaw. You see, it might manage 292 miles to a charge if you pootle around town like a saint, but on a long drive โ where range really matters โ I couldnโt get it to do much more than 180 miles between trips to the plug, even driving at a snailโs pace. Admittedly, the weather was cold and the days were short, but not excessively so. It wouldnโt be such an issue were the charging network larger and more reliable, but the world just hasnโt caught up yet. Itโs a crying shame, but itโs hard to recommend the 2 as anything other than a second car.
Fortunately, though, Polestar makes another car that isnโt waiting on the world to catch up. Itโs called the Polestar 1, and itโs a breathtakingly pretty two-door coupe with a clever plug-in hybrid powertrain that effectively combines a petrol engine and two electric motors. The 77-mile all-electric range is perfect for plodding around town, while the 2.0-litre petrol engine is there to provide some peace of mind on longer journeys. When the battery dies, you can either recharge as you would with an electric car, or let the engine take over, turning the car into a conventional petrol-powered vehicle.
But the engine does more than just save you from dodgy coffee and unappetising burgers. Working in tandem with the electric motors, it provides a massive 601bhp that takes you from a standstill to 62mph in about four seconds. Thatโs fast in anyoneโs book, and although the delivery is eerily subdued, it will very quickly put you on the wrong side of the law.
And it isnโt just the engine thatโs high-tech. The bodywork is made from carbon fibre, the rear spoiler rises and falls depending on the situation and the suspension is adjustable to make the car comfier or more agile, depending on your preferences. It all allows the Polestar to handle beautifully, with an impressive lightness thatโs missing from, say, a Bentley Continental. It still has a slightly soft side, though, which is ideal for covering long distances in comfort.
But again, there are catches. For starters, just 1,500 examples will be built, so Polestar hasnโt bothered to develop a right-hand-drive model for the UK. You can buy a 1 in this country, but the steering wheel will be on the wrong side. And when you slide into that left-hand seat, youโll find yourself ensconced in a cabin stolen entirely from Volvo. Thatโs no bad thing โ Volvo parts are hardly found in the bargain basement โ but itโs a bit galling when youโve paid a frankly outrageous ยฃ139,000 to own one of these cars.
But for all that, I like the Polestar 1. Nothing else on the road attracts so many admiring glances, and few things intrigue like a car nobody is likely to see elsewhere. I know all about its flaws, but somehow, I just donโt care. Thatโs the sign of a truly great car.
Polestar 1
Price from: ยฃ139,000
Top speed: 155mph
Gearbox: Eight-speed automatic
Engine: 2.0-litre plug-in hybrid
0-62mph: 4.2 seconds
Power: 601bhp
Polestar 2
Price from: ยฃ46,900
Top speed: 127mph
Gearbox: Single-speed fixed gear
Engine: Two electric motors
0-62mph: 4.7 seconds
Power: 402bhp
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