The new Polestar 2 will come with an 800 V electrical system. The BMW i3 with a range of 900 km is also in the works.
Polestar will unveil the second generation of the Model 2 next year, which is set to compete with the new BMW i3 and the electric Mercedes-Benz C-Class. The car will feature a new platform, batteries, engines, and an 800 V electrical system, but the manufacturer has not yet revealed its power output, range, or charging speed.
The current Polestar 2 has a longer history than the brand’s metrics suggest. It originated in 2016 as the Volvo Concept 40.2, a year before Polestar was established as a separate electric vehicle manufacturer. The production version was unveiled in early 2019.
The model was often referred to at the time as a competitor to Tesla’s Model 3. However, its sales never approached Tesla’s figures, and over the following years, the market surpassed Polestar in terms of range, charging capabilities, and electronics. The second generation is intended to close these gaps and help the company compete in the European premium segment, especially after withdrawing from the American market.
New platform to unite Polestar 2 and SUV 7
The design of the new Polestar 2 will be based on a flexible platform designed for multiple models. It will also be used by the mid-size SUV Polestar 7, whose launch is scheduled for 2028. The manufacturer is also announcing new batteries and engines, but has not yet provided their specifications.
Joakin Rydholm, head of the team responsible for driving dynamics, isn’t hiding his ambitions. “We need to surpass the new i3,” he said in an interview with Auto Express. He added that solutions developed for the Polestar 5, such as active suspensions and the steering system, will be used in future vehicles.
The 800 V charging setup is intended to enable fast charging at high power levels. However, it’s unclear whether Polestar will come close to the 400 kW claimed for the new BMW i3. Range will present an even greater challenge, as BMW promises up to 900 km per charge. These are the manufacturer’s claims, not results from independent tests, but the bar has been set high.
The Polestar 2 is expected to look like a smaller version of the 5
The first visual teaser shows a car that is lower and wider than the current Polestar 2. The daytime running lights are designed to resemble those used in the Polestar 4 and 5, indicating that the brand is clearly moving away from the styling inherited from the Volvo Concept 40.2.
We are still waiting for specific details. Without information on battery capacity, charging speed, and estimated range, it’s difficult to assess whether this teaser indicating a challenge to the BMW i3 has a technical basis. Polestar will reveal more next year.
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