Polestar 3 Receives Cheaper Trim With Improved Range, But Less Power

The Polestar 3 is getting a new entry level trim that prioritizes range and a lower price tag rather than peak performance. Slated to arrive sometime in the spring of 2025, the new model is supposed to offer up to 350 miles between charges and a sub $70,000 MSRP.

When the entire automotive industry started pivoting toward building all-electric vehicles, a lot of promises were made about affordable models offering improved range. Sadly, the concept was put on the back burner so manufacturers could prioritize vehicles they assumed would yield superior margins. Few companies bothered to field something trying to ride the line between affordability and range, leaving the market to be flooded with increasingly large crossovers, SUVs, and pickups running on battery power.

Consumer choice was split between gargantuan electrified vehicles that were broadly less useful than their combustion counterparts (despite costing more) and pint-sized EVs that really only worked as urban runabouts. The only noteworthy exceptions were vehicles like the Tesla Model 3, which weren’t exactly cheap without government subsidies but offered superior range for the roughly $44,000 entry point.

Polestar, which exists in the same space, has had trouble remaining competitive here. It doesn’t offer the kind of massive models automakers assumed would resonate with American buyers and it likewise hasn’t been able to lower its prices sufficiently to remain competitive with Tesla. In fact, Polestar products’ main advantage is their sprightly acceleration and relatively good on-road manners.

The new Long Range Single Motor variant of the Polestar 3 is supposed to address those shortcomings by coming in below the $75,300 Long Range Dual Motor trim and offering an EPA estimated 350 miles between charges. This is enough to give it something to field against Tesla’s longer-range automobiles.

It’s likely the correct play for Polestar to make and lowers the point of entry for the Polestar 3 to $67,500 (plus a $1,400 destination fee). However, Tesla’s Model 3 and Model Y still cost significantly less and continue to offer better performance. Whereas Polestar’s higher trims are capable of breezing through 60 mph in the four-second range, the Long Range Single Motor variant is said to boast a 0-60 time of 7.5 seconds.

Meanwhile, you’re getting one of the most minimalist interiors presently available with the main selling point being that they’re largely composed of eco-friendly materials. Granted, Tesla’s interiors are similarly barren and even more reliant on the central touch screen. But they likewise cost less to get into, assuming you’re cross shopping the Polestar 3 against a Tesla Model 3 or Model Y.

But Polestar does bake in a large number of driver assistance features. Even on the base trims, EVs come equipped with Pilot Upgrade Pack and it offers a 360-degree camera and a slew of advanced driving assistance features (e.g. Lane Change Assist and Pilot Assist). Customers will also get parking assistance features and cross traffic alerts with automatic braking. We’re just not sure it’s sufficient to justify the price tag.

Customers are effectively dropping a significant amount of power and all-wheel drive for improved range. The Long Range Single Motor version of the Polestar 3 only produces a maximum of 299 horsepower and 361 lb-ft of torque, whereas the higher performance models are situated on either side of 500 horsepower with up to 671 lb-ft of torque. However, they do cost several thousand dollars more and won’t quite match its 350-mile range.

While the new base trim doesn’t offer any performance upgrades, as they wouldn’t make much sense, customers can still option a Bowers & Wilkins sound system with headrest speakers and active road noise cancellation for $5,500, upgraded 21-inch wheels and gold accenting for $2,200, and a couple of other tech-focused features.

Despite being owned by a Chinese parent company (Geely), North American market Polestar 3 models will be manufactured inside the United States.

The cars also keep the 250 kW DC fast-charging capability as more expensive brethren, meaning owners can recharge the 111-kWh lithium-ion battery pack to fill up from 10 to 80 percent in roughly 30 minutes. That’s pretty good for modern EVs, even if it’s still not as quick as you’d probably want it to be on an extended road trip.

[Images: Polestar]

Become a TTAC insider. Get the latest news, features, TTAC takes, and everything else that gets to the truth about cars first by  subscribing to our newsletter.

Source: The Truth About Cars