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- I drove the coolest new electric car you've never heard of. Take a tour of the Polestar 2.
I drove the coolest new electric car you've never heard of. Take a tour of the Polestar 2.
The 2022 Polestar 2.Tim Levin/Insider
- I drove the Polestar 2, one of the most popular under-the-radar Tesla rivals.
- The premium electric sedan offers unique, chunky looks and up to 270 miles of range.
You may not have heard of Polestar before, but take a spin in one of the young electric-car brand's newest models and you'll understand why it deserves your attention.
The 2022 Polestar 2. Tim Levin/Insider
The company spun out of Volvo in 2017 and is now onto its second vehicle, the excellent Polestar 2.
The 2022 Polestar 2. Tim Levin/Insider
I tested the 2022 model for a few days earlier this year and left impressed by the sedan's striking looks, intuitive touchscreen, and handsome interior.
The 2022 Polestar 2. Tim Levin/Insider
From its interior to its user interface, the Polestar 2 is all about minimalism and simplicity. And that no-frills mentality extends to the car's pricing.
The 2022 Polestar 2. Tim Levin/Insider
Read Insider's full review of the Polestar 2 here.
There are two models to choose from for 2023. The Polestar 2 Single Motor costs $48,400 and is rated by the US government for 270 miles of driving range.
The 2022 Polestar 2. Tim Levin/Insider
Source: Environmental Protection Agency
The Dual Motor version will run you $51,900, has 260 miles of range, and puts out 476 horsepower, more than double the base model.
The 2022 Polestar 2. Tim Levin/Insider
For context, the Tesla Model 3 sedan, certainly the Polestar 2's biggest competitor, offers 267 miles of range in the base model and more than 350 in Long-Range guise.
The 2022 Polestar 2. Tim Levin/Insider
Much like Tesla, customers configure and order Polestar cars online. Customers can take delivery at home or at a Polestar showroom.
The 2022 Polestar 2. Tim Levin/Insider
What's it like to drive? I can only speak to the Single Motor model, which offered, like most electric cars, snappy acceleration that'll impress people coming from regular gas vehicles.
The 2022 Polestar 2. Tim Levin/Insider
It's no sports car, but the Polestar 2 feels agile and planted through corners. In the main touchscreen, you can adjust the sedan's steering feel to your liking.
The 2022 Polestar 2. Tim Levin/Insider
After a long drive, the Polestar 2 can replenish its battery level from 10% to 80% in 30 minutes using a 155-kilowatt fast-charger. Or it can do the same using a garage charger (Level 2) in around eight hours.
The 2022 Polestar 2. Tim Levin/Insider
The 2's chiseled edges and chunky proportions make it look bold and unique but not flashy.
The 2022 Polestar 2. Tim Levin/Insider
The four-door sedan doesn't have conventional badging telling you what it's called or who makes it. Instead, there's a couple of small stickers that say Polestar 2 and 78 kWh, the car's battery capacity.
The 2022 Polestar 2. Tim Levin/Insider
Inside, things are equally sleek.
The 2022 Polestar 2. Tim Levin/Insider
Slip inside the Polestar 2 and you're greeted by a simple, uncluttered cabin.
The 2022 Polestar 2. Tim Levin/Insider
My test car had a gray interior broken up by interesting patterns and textures on some of the interior plastics.
The 2022 Polestar 2. Tim Levin/Insider
For a shifter, you get a little hexagonal knob.
The 2022 Polestar 2. Tim Levin/Insider
Above that, there's the 11.3-inch touchscreen that serves as the car's command center.
The 2022 Polestar 2. Tim Levin/Insider
Using a touchscreen for basic vehicle functions can be frustrating, particularly when you need to tap and drive. But the Polestar 2's elegant and amazingly crisp infotainment system makes things easy.
The 2022 Polestar 2. Tim Levin/Insider
Its high-contrast color palette of black, white, and orange makes things legible at a glance. And Polestar never piles too many buttons onto one screen.
The 2022 Polestar 2. Tim Levin/Insider
Polestar runs a Google Android operating system, so Google Maps is built in. And when you set a route, the car indicates how much range you'll have at your destination and after the trip home.
The 2022 Polestar 2. Tim Levin/Insider
Another handy touch: The Range Assistant feature shows how factors like driving style, climate control usage, and speed impact estimated driving range.
The 2022 Polestar 2. Tim Levin/Insider
There's also a 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster behind the steering wheel. Like the main screen, it displays a remarkably detailed graphic of the Polestar 2, which is neat.
The 2022 Polestar 2. Tim Levin/Insider
The 2's hatch opens to reveal a 14.3-cubic-foot cargo area behind the seats, a bit smaller than that of the Model 3.
The 2022 Polestar 2. Tim Levin/Insider
Folding the seats down expands the usable area to around 39 cubic feet.
The 2022 Polestar 2. Tim Levin/Insider
Plus Polestar offers the added bonus of a front trunk, which you won't find in every electric vehicle.
The 2022 Polestar 2. Tim Levin/Insider
Bottom line: The Polestar 2 delivers healthy range, attractive styling, and impressive software, making it a great option for people interested in a sporty electric sedan but not a Tesla.
The 2022 Polestar 2. Tim Levin/Insider
And it seems that a lot of people agree, despite Polestar's relative anonymity. The company sold more than 20,000 vehicles in the first half of 2022 and aims to ship 50,000 before year's end.
The 2022 Polestar 2. Tim Levin/Insider
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