Polestar’s first fully electric model, the 2, got off to a slow start. Challenging the segment-leading Tesla Model 3 on neither price nor performance is tough, but the tables have turned for the 2022 model, for which the Sino-Scandinavian carmaker has added a new powertrain option, improved range, and lowered pricing.
The biggest news for 2022 is the introduction of a new trim with a single motor, powering the front axle. It uses the same 78-kWh battery as the original dual-motor model and can travel an estimated 265 miles on a full charge, or two further than a base Model 3. The extra range doesn’t come at the cost to comfort or convenience, either, as the single-motor Polestar 2 still features a standard Android infotainment system and animal product-free interior (though Nappa leather is available).
Single-motor 2s are also available with the Pilot Package, which adds adaptive cruise, a 360-degree camera, and more. The Plus Package’s highlights include a glass roof, an eight-speaker Harman Kardon audio system, and a new-for-’22 heat pump. In cold climates, this can pre-condition the battery, extending range by an advertised 10 percent.
Dual-motor all-wheel-drive models remain largely the same, with 408 horsepower and 487 pound-feet of torque, good for zero-to-60 in under 4.5 seconds and a quarter-mile in the upper 12s. There’s still an optional Performance Package, with Öhlins adjustable dampers, Brembo front brakes with drilled rotors, 20-inch forged wheels and a sprinkling of “Swedish Gold” highlights.
What has changed is the range, which is up 16 miles from the ’21 model to 249, and price, which comes in at $51,200 delivered, almost $5,800 under the Model 3 Performance. The Tesla’s the quicker performance EV, but they’re both above the threshold of being able to scare their passengers.
Deliveries of the updated twin-motor 2022 Polestar 2 will begin in October, while single-motor orders will start to be fulfilled by the end of the year, for $47,200 delivered. That’s far north of the comparable base Model 3, at $41,190, though that changes if you apply incentives to the price the way Tesla has been all too glad to—just kicking at the goalposts they planted, folks. Add all those up, and the base Polestar 2 can get as low as $36,200 in parts of California.
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