[SLCPolestar]

So I live 700 miles from a Polestar service center, and it was confirmed to me that OTA updates won't be available in the USA until "early" 2021. I then chatted that I wanted to cancel my order and get a refund, but was told that this specific SW update will be provided with 100% gratis shipping anywhere in the US. Now I'm back in the saddle, but for some reason I feel like a battered spouse. "I provoked the recall", "It's my fault for ordering, I knew what I was getting into". "He'll change and add more service centers". Sigh...why do I love and want this car so badly?

 

[JRRF]

Join the club 😆.

Are you saying they are now waiving delivery fees in the US beyond 150 miles?

 

[SLCPolestar]

Correct. So I'm thinking that this could sort out any other HW fails that could come up between now and the SW release, and fix it all on their dime. (Like it should be).

 

[JPC]

Whooaaaa---whaaaattttt? That's big news. Need more details though: are they just waiving the initial outbound delivery fee? What about the delivering the car back and forth to a service center if the car breaks down or bricks? The latter has always been my biggest concern.

 

[JRRF]

I might still drive to NY to see my car in it's entirely before I write the check. That makes it easier to walk if it's not in prestine condition.

 

[SLCPolestar]

Whooaaaa---whaaaattttt? That's big news. Need more details though: are they just waiving the initial outbound delivery fee? What about the delivering the car back and forth to a service center if the car breaks down or bricks? The latter has always been my biggest concern.

I'd be interested in someone else verifying as well. I understood we are responsible for all shipping above 150 miles. We knew this before we ordered (I did). What I didn't know was that OTA was not available at delivery. My thought was that most problematic things with an EV would be SW related so I was okay living far from an actual service center, and ordered the car. Now that isn't the case and I was about to bail, but I was told via chat that the big 2021 SW update that will need to be done at a service center can have Polestar cover the shipping no matter where you live.

 

[JPC]

Now that isn't the case and I was about to bail, but I was told via chat that the big 2021 SW update that will need to be done at a service center can have Polestar cover the shipping no matter where you live.

Did you or can you screenshot the chat?????

 

[SLCPolestar]

Did you or can you screenshot the chat?????

no I didn't unfortunately. Was Alane though.

 

[JRRF]

Covering the SW update is understandable and that will be provided ("delivered"?) to anyone -- particularly those >150. But the delivery of the car may be something else entirely. I'd want to get more firm confirmation of that. I agree that there are risks without OTA which bothers me too.

 

[SLCPolestar]

Covering the SW update is understandable and that will be provided ("delivered"?) to anyone -- particularly those >150. But the delivery of the car may be something else entirely. I'd want to get more firm confirmation of that. I agree that there are risks without OTA which bothers me too.

I don't have a quote, but I am 100% certain that the initial delivery is my responsibility after 150 miles. This was something I asked about in early July when I placed the order.

 

[JRRF]

I don't have a quote, but I am 100% certain that the initial delivery is my responsibility after 150 miles. This was something I asked about in early July when I placed the order.

And so do you think this changed with your most recent contact about the recall? That they will now cover unlimited delivery miles?

 

[SLCPolestar]

And so do you think this changed with your most recent contact about the recall? That they will now cover unlimited delivery miles?

I don't think they will cover delivery miles. I think the only thing that changed is that they are paying for the shipment to do the update to allow OTA SW updates.

 

[JRRF]

I don't think they will cover delivery miles. I think the only thing that changed is that they are paying for the shipment to do the update to allow OTA SW updates.

Well, all US cars will get this SW at the port or delivery dealer. But are you suggesting that any future SW the car might need updated will be shipped to you on a stick or other device to load to the car?

 

[SLCPolestar]

Well, all US cars will get this SW at the port or delivery dealer. But are you suggesting that any future SW the car might need updated will be shipped to you on a stick or other device to load to the car?

Whatever SW build we get still won't have the OTA update functionality since it is an early 2021 drop. Once they have that, and they have done the SW update at the service centers, all subsequent SW builds will be done via the cloud.

 

[JPC]

OK, I will now make the obligatory post about how strange it is that this information is not being clearly and publicly disseminated by Polestar (as opposed to coming out I bits and pieces via individual chats with CS). Having said that, it is the first good news that I have heard in a while, and like it did for @SLCPolestar, it puts me back in the saddle again.

 

[ProfessorCook]

So I spoke to Mike today. (He's monitoring this forum, btw, and knows a bunch of us by our forum usernames.) He also told me today that, even though my car will be delivered (eventually... 1 month?) with the most recent updates, they'll handle the longer distance at no charge for some updates in the future, like the OTA update, if Boston doesn't develop its Polestar space by the time I need it.

So, yeah...I have confirmation of this, too. They won't charge beyond the 150 miles for at least some critical updates. Loaner included.

 

[I_Kent_Spelgud]

Hi Mike! 😁

 

[sor]

Honestly I’m not really banking on much coming via OTA. I know there are bugs, but I just don’t think we can expect weekly or monthly features and fixes from Polestar like we see from Tesla.

I might end up pleasantly surprised but I just think it’s a big ask at this stage. More likely to see perhaps fixes limited to the infotainment, or quarterly/yearly.

By the time OTA software is available, XC40 Recharge will be shipping and the car software will be relatively production quality. People will be able to tolerate the update cycles they have on existing cars so long as the vehicle works.

 

[SLCPolestar]

Honestly I’m not really banking on much coming via OTA. I know there are bugs, but I just don’t think we can expect weekly or monthly features and fixes from Polestar like we see from Tesla.

I might end up pleasantly surprised but I just think it’s a big ask at this stage. More likely to see perhaps fixes limited to the infotainment, or quarterly/yearly.

By the time OTA software is available, XC40 Recharge will be shipping and the car software will be relatively production quality. People will be able to tolerate the update cycles they have on existing cars so long as the vehicle works.

I agree. For me the concern is the ability to do bug fixes, not add a bunch of features/functionality. If I lived in CA or NY or another city with line of sight to a polestar service center I would not be concerned. This is good news. I was literally going to bail, and buy some POS Tesla.

 

[sor]

FWIW, I'm about 800 miles from my pickup place. If I have to make a drive in spring to enable OTA, I'm ok doing that, but I'm hoping the Volvo dealers start stepping up once they get certified to work on the XC40 Recharge. The gamble is just in getting a car that doesn't break down, given the delays in delivery I'm encouraged that it won't be an issue.