Polestar, Volvo’s performance brand, has unveiled the 600hp Polestar 1, the company’s first car, which is set to roll off the production line in mid-2019. The Polestar 1 is a two-door, 2+2 seat Grand Tourer Coupé with an ‘Electric Performance Hybrid’ drivetrain. An electric car supported by an internal combustion engine, it has a range of 93 miles on pure electric power alone – the longest full electric range of any hybrid car on the market. In addition, its output of 600hp and 1000Nm of torque places the car firmly in the performance car segment.
Polestar 1 is the world’s first car to be fitted with the all-new class-leading Öhlins Continuously Controlled Electronic Suspension that fits an electronic valve on each shock absorber that can change ride characteristics based on driver input and conditions. As an added bonus, the driver can adjust chassis damping and ride quality on the fly.
Much of the car is made from carbon fiber, including most of the major body parts, making for a total body weight reduction of more than 500 pounds, with a 48:52 front-to-rear weight distribution. The interior looks straight out of a top-of-the-line Volvo’s S90, though that’s not a bad thing. With Volvo’s legendarily comfortable seats and excellent Sensus infotainment system, Polestar gets a huge benefit from appropriating Volvo’s luxurious interior.
The ordering and configuration of Polestar cars will be conducted online via a Polestar app or online portal. Just 500 Polestar 1’s will be made available each year through a new online-only ordering process — and don’t expect to buy one, either. Polestar’s cars will only be available through two- and three- year subscriptions with insurance and maintenance included. The Polestar 1 order book is already open, and production is expected to begin in mid-2019.
all images courtesy of Polestar