Polestar has relaunched its Polestar 2 electric car as a refresh with more power, performance and range. New engines, refined handling and rear-wheel drive for the single-engine variants are promised. There is also faster charging and longer range – now up to 635 km WLTP. The driver awareness features and wireless charging for mobile phones are now part of the standard equipment.
Originally released in 2019, Polestar 2 is now available in 27 markets worldwide. The manufacturer is now also integrating its SmartZone from the Polestar 3 into the 2-series model. As with the Polestar 3, the SmartZone houses some of the car’s safety features, including the front-facing camera and mid-range radar. The Performance Pack’s 20-inch alloy wheels have been updated to bring the Polestar 2 in line with the Polestar 3 in its sportiest expression.
The single motor variants are now rear-wheel drive and powered by a newly developed permanent magnet motor and a silicon carbide inverter. The new engine has an output of up to 220 kW (increased from 170 kW) and is optimized for high torque (from 330 Nm to 490 Nm). The time for the sprint from 0 to 100 km/h is reduced by 1.2 seconds to 6.2 seconds.
The dual-motor variant increases performance thanks to a rebalanced powertrain and torque ratio. The new rear motor is the primary power source and is supported by a new asynchronous motor on the front axle. This enables a higher total system output of 310 kW and 740 Nm (vs. the original 300 kW and 660 Nm). Acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h is achieved in 4.5 seconds. To aid in efficiency, the front engine can be switched off completely when not needed. If more power is required, the front motor switches on again.
With the optional performance package, up to 350 kW and an acceleration time of 0-100 km/h in just 4.2 seconds are possible. The increase in power / performance can also be purchased as a downloadable Over-The-Air (OTA) software upgrade for all eligible long-rage dual-motor models. This is certainly another controversial decision and is reminiscent of the paywall tactics for Mercedes car features already discussed here in the blog.
All Polestar 2 variants are equipped with upgraded lithium-ion batteries. The long-range variants now have 82 kWh batteries from CATL with 27 modules. The battery for the Standard Range variants still has a capacity of 69 kWh with 24 modules and will be supplied by LG Chem. Faster charge rates of up to 205kW DC for the long range batteries and 135kW for the standard range battery are now possible.
According to Polestar, the function for switching off the front motor on the long-range dual motor is particularly effective in maximizing the range. This is now up to 592 km WLTP, which corresponds to an increase of 105 km. The standard range single engine now achieves up to 518 km WLTP, an increase of 40 km, while the long range single engine variant achieves up to 635 km WLTP, an increase of 84 km.
Driver assistance systems such as the Blind Spot Information System (BLIS) with steering assistance, Cross Traffic Alert with braking assistance and Rear Collision Warning and Mitigation, as well as the 360-degree Surround View camera and the automatically dimming exterior mirrors are now standard equipment. The wireless charging option for mobile phones is now also included as standard in all variants.
The 2024 model year Polestar 2 is available to order now in Europe at polestar.com. Other markets will follow later. The first deliveries are expected in the third quarter of 2023. The new Polestar 2 is available from 50,775 euros. The improvements are not for nothing, because the prices have also been raised.
| variant | drive train | battery capacity | Max. charging power, DC | Provisional range, WLTP | power | torque | 0-100km/h | Price |
| Long range dual motor with performance package | AWD | 82kWh | 205kW | Up to 592 km | 350kW | 740 Nm | 4.2s | EUR 65,275 |
| 476 hp | ||||||||
| Long range dual engine | AWD | 82kWh | 205kW | Up to 592 km | 310kW | 740 Nm | 4.5s | EUR 58,775 |
| 421 hp | ||||||||
| Long range single engine | RWD | 82kWh | 205kW | Up to 635km | 220kW | 490 Nm | 6.2s | EUR 54,475 |
| 299 hp | ||||||||
| Standard range single engine | RWD | 69 kWh | 135kW | Up to 518 km | 200kW | 490 Nm | 6.4s | EUR 50,775 |
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