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The Polestar 1 is priced from $156,500 USD with deliveries set for mid-2020. More pricing information and everything else we need to know about the Polestar 1 has been detailed in the official press release below:

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Vehicle Overview
The Polestar 1 is an Electric Performance Hybrid, a combination of concept car looks, a cutting-edge drivetrain and driver-focused dynamics. With this car, Polestar sets a new direction, redefining electric performance and spearheading design and technology, not only for its own products but for the automotive industry at large.

Polestar 1 is a beautiful carbon fiber-bodied grand tourer with an electric-first hybrid drivetrain. With a double electric rear axle and a 34 kilowatt-hour battery, the Polestar 1 offers up to 112 kilometres (70 miles) of range on the WLTP cycle – well above average daily driving requirements. This is a hybrid car that can be driven in real world situations on electric power alone.

A two-liter turbocharged and supercharged gasoline engine adds both range and performance to deliver a genuinely exciting drive. Total combined output is 619 horsepower (North American spec only) and 1000 Newton meters (738lb.-ft.) of torque, with real torque vectoring ensuring ultimate control and accuracy.

For Polestar, performance is more than just speed and power. Performance also manifests itself in the way the car is designed, from body construction and exterior surfaces to the cosseting driver-centric interior. Design is at the core of everything we do. From our communications to the places we work, and of course our cars – design inspires us to think differently and deliver excellence.

Design
The design of the Polestar 1 is based upon the much-praised Volvo Concept Coupé. The great source of inspiration for the Concept Coupé was the Volvo P1800, today a classic sports car icon. The Polestar design team wanted to keep the basic design of the Concept Coupé, and just make smaller changes in order to adapt it to the present day.

When the decision was taken to make the entire body of the production car in carbon fiber, it gave our designers even more freedom to create what they really wanted. The carbon fiber material made it possible to create crisp lines and sharp creases for a modern, technical look. This can, for example, be seen in the hood and fenders. It also enabled our designers to create the powerful shape of the quarter panels, reminiscent of those on the Volvo P1800.

The practically invisible hood gives the GT a premium look, without any shut lines at the top, while the shut lines on the sides emphasize the great distance between the front wheels and doors. This adds to the powerful, dynamic profile.

The wide, frameless doors give a sporty and classic coupé look when a door is opened, particularly if the window is down. The wide doors contribute to the well-proportioned coupé design and facilitate ingress to and egress from the rear seat. The uniquely designed, integrated handles in their frames add to the the aesthetic and contribute to the aerodynamic properties. The look is complete with frameless side mirrors.

The experience of exiting and entering the car is elevated when lights under the doors illuminate the area below the open door, contributing to the welcoming feel.

Low, sleek and wide – Polestar 1 is the embodiment of an avant-garde GT car. It features a driver-centric and luxurious interior with a focus on technology and comfort, but without compromising on performance. From the responsive portrait touchscreen and carbon fiber décor elements, to the Bowers & Wilkins premium audio with 15 speakers, to a handmade crystal gear selector, the details define the vehicle. The Polestar logo is reflected onto the panoramic glass roof, a nod to the guiding star...and our vision.

Chassis and body
At the core of the Polestar 1 is the SPA (Scalable Product Architecture) floor structure. This is reinforced by the ‘dragonfly’ – a specialised carbon fiber cross member that increases rigidity by 60% and adds strength to the chassis.

The body is then constructed around this floor with carbon fiber, or CFRP, which not only allows for a reduction in weight and a lower center of gravity, but also a sleeker profile.

The roof cantrail section, reaching from the base of the A-Pillar to the C-Pillar side member, consists of an extremely rigid carbon fiber tube, which is baked into the outer structure of the carbon fiber pillar construction.

The roof cross-sections are slim, light and stiff carbon fiber profiles. This is a major contrast to conventional steel roof construction, where all sections would need to be bigger, the roofline would have been higher, and the side glass more upright, in turn compromising the beautiful design. Even the construction of the panoramic glass roof allows for a lower roofline. Plus, there is no visible antenna.

The inner body side panels, outer body side panels, doors, front fenders, hood, trunk and rear parcel shelf are all crafted in this carbon fiber.

The carbon fiber body ultimately results in three major benefits:

1. Weight reduction: 230 kilograms (506 lbs.) less weight by building with carbon fiber and modifying the existing SPA underbody.
2. An increase in body stiffness: The torsional stiffness of the body structure has increased by 45%, resulting in better handling and overall performance.
3. Center of gravity: By nesting the heavier steel construction around the carbon fiber dragonfly, then constructing everything above this floorpan with lightweight carbon fiber, the center of gravity is considerably lowered, which again results in better handling and overall performance on the road.

 

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Suspension
The Polestar 1 embodies the ethos of Polestar, a belief that electric vehicle performance is not just about straight line acceleration and speed. Development engineers have worked tirelessly to create the sort of ride and handling that they are proud to call an electric “driver’s car.” The car feels connected to the road; firm, but not harsh; after all this car still has the ability to cover significant distances.

To develop this purity of drive, the Polestar 1 does not employ an overly complicated electronically controlled suspension system. Instead, Öhlins Dual Flow Valve manually adjustable dampers are at the heart of this performance. In close collaboration with Öhlins, the team has tested and developed the entire setup across continents and in extreme environments to really ensure that Polestar 1 drives the way only a Polestar should.

Stopping power is of course just as dynamically important as horsepower. The Polestar 1 has exceptionally powerful brakes. The front brakes are manufactured by Akebono – the six-piston aluminium Monobloc calipers on each front wheel are milled from one solid piece of metal. The calipers are coupled with 400 x 38 millimeter discs, both ventilated and drilled for efficient cooling.

Powertrain
The powertrain in the Polestar 1 is probably its most unique attribute. Electric first and combustion second, this hybrid drivetrain favors electric power from a double electric rear axle configuration, supported by an internal combustion engine on the front axle. This being a GT, the hybrid powertrain offers the perfect solution for long distance cruising.

Two 85 kilowatt electric motors on the rear axle give Polestar 1 a total of 170 kilowatts, or 232 horsepower, of pure electric power. In everyday scenarios the Polestar 1 can be driven as a fully electric vehicle, the 480 Nm (354 lb.-ft.) of instant electric torque enabling brisk acceleration without the need to switch over to the combustion engine.

When necessary, the turbocharged and supercharged combustion engine at the front adds its own contribution with 326 horsepower and 520Nm (384 lb.-ft.). Together this system gives the ultimate in torque, power and cruising range.

A 52 kilowatt, 68 horsepower and 161Nm (119 lb-ft) integrated starter generator also lies between the crankshaft and the combustion engine to act as a starter and provide additional electric torque when the internal combustion engine is in use.

Each rear wheel has its own electric motor and planetary gear set that enables real torque vectoring – a specialized method of allowing for both acceleration and stability when tackling a curve. Instead of slowing the inner wheel on a curve, the outer wheel is accelerated to compensate for the difference in curve radii between both wheels.

This torque vectoring supports the driver with precise acceleration on each wheel to help ensure maximum traction and confidence.

The Polestar 1 has two battery packs. One is located between the front seats, the other above the rear axle. The unique battery pack positioning enables an ideal 48:52 overall weight distribution for the car. Total battery capacity is 34 kWh – enough to provide the Polestar 1 with up to 112 kilometers (70 miles) of electric driving range on the WLTP cycle. This outperforms any PHEV (Plug-In Hybrid

Electric Vehicle) on the market and gives the Polestar 1 its unique ability to be used effectively as an electric car.

The combined electric and petrol powertrain produces a total of 619 horsepower and a mammoth 738 lb.-ft. of torque. With the immediacy of the electric torque at the rear and the long legs provided by the petrol engine at the front, power delivery is always smooth and seamless – and the resulting performance is stellar. 0-100 kilometers per hour (or 0-62 miles per hour) takes just 4.2 seconds. This makes the Polestar 1 a real performance GT.

An active rear spoiler is featured on the Polestar 1, rising at 100 kilometers per hour (62 miles per hour) and closing at 70 kilometers per hour (44 miles per hour). It can also be manually adjusted.

Safety
Safety is a hallmark of the Volvo Car Group and another element of performance for Polestar. Naturally, the Polestar 1 is engineered to the highest safety standards and has been tested thoroughly not only in computer simulations, but also at a full-scale crash lab.

In fact, the Polestar 1 was the first-ever crash test of a carbon fiber-bodied car for the Volvo Car Group. In doing so, the crash safety engineers were able to experiment with the new materials to gain an elevated understanding of how its behavior differs from conventional steel.

In contrast to a steel body, where bending helps the integrated crumple zones reduce the amount of crash energy that reaches the vehicle’s occupants, carbon fiber dissipates energy by cracking and shattering.

Close attention was given to the way the carbon fiber body reacted to the extreme forces involved in the impact. The engineers also focused on how the underlying steel body structure and carbon fiber ‘dragonfly,’ which strengthens it, managed the forces.

Most of the energy was absorbed by the car’s crash structure, with the remaining energy mitigated by the carbon fiber body panels into the body structure. These panels remained rigid and did not show signs of bending or misalignment after the crash.

Safety aids and driver assistance features are also included as standard in the Polestar 1 – including Pilot Assist which allows for a relaxed drive over long distances and especially in traffic jams.

 

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Packaging
This is Polestar 1. An exclusive Electric Performance Hybrid that gives new meaning to a curated driving experience. We like to keep things simple and this is evident in our customer offer. The Polestar 1 doesn’t have a “base model.” It also doesn’t have an extensive options list. We produce this car with the best equipment all fitted as standard.

We also offer a simplified matrix of colors and materials that allow our customers to make an easy, hassle-free purchase. Five exterior colors, each available in either a gloss or matte metallic. The Polestar emblems on the front and rear of the car match the exterior body paint color, adding a subtle, elegant touch. Three wheel finishes are available – diamond cut, matte black or glossy black. A choice of either chrome or glossy black brightwork. Charcoal or Zinc Nappa leather for the front seats. That’s it.

Pricing and Delivery
The Polestar 1 is priced at $156,500 USD in the USA, and $199,000 CDN in Canada (both prices including destination charge). This MSRP is inclusive of any options except for matte paint, which is available for $5,000 in the USA and $7,500 in Canada. Global production has begun at the new Polestar Production Center and deliveries of the car to the USA and Canada will begin in H1 2020.

Conclusion
This is not just a new performance GT. In fact, this is not just another new halo car. This is the car in which Polestar sets out its vision for the future. This is Polestar challenging industry conventions, from the boutique Spaces where customers can get to know the brand, to the digital business model that promotes a hassle-free ownership experience.

This is Polestar 1.

 

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I always appreciate when car companies draw from the past and I like that the Volvo P1800 was the inspiration for the Polestar 1.