Latest image shows new Polestar 3 without any camouflage
Polestar promises 3 will “bring ‘sport’ back to the SUV” ahead of full reveal in October
The new Polestar 3 electric SUV has effectively been revealed in a new official image that shows it completely unwrapped ahead of a public debut in October.
Polestar has issued a preview image that shows its upcoming Audi E-tron rival from the side – proving that this will be no mere adaptation of the firm’s existing Polestar 2 saloon or its earlier Volvo-based 1 super-hybrid.
Familiar Polestar styling cues are present: the Y-shaped ‘Thor’s Hammer’ LED headlights, yellow brake calipers, wraparound rear light bar and chunky side cladding, for example. But the new SUV’s rakish silhouette is all-new – more closely related to the upcoming Polestar 5 grand tourer (revealed in design patents yesterday) than it is the 2.
A panoramic glass roof panel curves gently towards the rear, passing under a prominent rear spoiler – part of what looks to be a fairly extensive aero package, together with air-channelling vents at the leading edge of the bonnet, flush-fitting door handles and prominent rear haunches.
Aerodynamic efficiency will be crucial in taking the Polestar 3 to a targeted range of more than 370 miles, as will a “large battery” of unspecified capacity and an efficient dual-motor powertrain.
Polestar has given no further details on the 3’s specifications, but has confirmed it will feature a ‘best-in-class’ lidar sensor from partner firm Luminar, as well as an advanced software stack supplied by tech giant Nvidia, with a view to integrating autonomous driving functionality.
The firm will start building the 3 alongside the electric successor to the Volvo XC90 – with which it shares its SPA2 underpinnings – in both America and China in early 2023.
CEO Thomas Ingenlath said: “The Polestar 3 is the SUV for the electric age. Our design identity evolves with this high-end large luxury EV, with a strong, individual brand character.
“With this car, we bring the ‘sport’ back to the SUV, staying true to our performance roots. This is a major milestone for our company, one that boosts our growth trajectory and takes us into our next phase.”
The 3 will be followed by the smaller Polestar 4 crossover in 2024, before the 5 grand tourer enters production in 2025, as Polestar ramps up to increase its global sales figures from 29,000 units in 2021 to 290,000 by the end of 2025.
Polestar revealed the first official image of the 3 in December last year (above), showing more details of its third model and giving a much clearer indication of its overall size.
Earlier this year, Ingenlath told Autocar that the 3 would have two rows of seats, not three, and that both single- and dual-motor versions would go on sale. He also said the 3 will be more potent than the closely related XC90 successor.
Source: Autocar
