[poleposition]

The Polestar 2 gets 1,300 lbs more towing capacity than the Model 3 and get an optional electric-folding tow bar!

"The Polestar 2 will be capable of towing 3,300 pounds (1,500 kg), the company announced early Wednesday, making it the most capable tower in Europe's compact electric segment and besting Tesla's compact Model 3 by 1,300 lbs (590 kilos). Towing with a compact sedan isn't usually something you'll find on American consumers' radars, but in Europe, "caravanning" and the like with small four- and five-door models is fairly commonplace. The Polestar 2's fastback sedan packaging is an already-capable setup, and best-in-class towing will only augment that practicality. Like Tesla, Polestar will offer its electric-folding tow bar as a factory-installed option. In Germany, the accessory will cost approximately $1,200 (1,100 euros based on current exchange rates). Tesla's Model 3 tow bar costs about the same; that's likely not a coincidence." ~ AB

 

[GDank]

The main difference between the Tesla Model 3 and Poelstar 2 are :-

• The PS2 Is Semi-electric** and the M3 is just manual.
• PS2 can tow up to 1500 kg (3,300 lbs) vs M3's 910 kg (2,000 lbs)
• The max unassisted breaking trailer is 900kgs.
• The PS2 has a noise load of 90kg where the M3 is 55kg*

**Note I assume they mean it deploys electronically but you have to manually turn a handle on it to lock it into place.

*This was one of the main reasons we picked a Polestar over other options out there, as we needed a min 60kgs to be safe, as I have an electric bike. I'm sure that we would have been under 60kg today, but as my son grows and his bikes get bigger, we'll be edging toward that max bike rack capacity.

The Model 3 is fine for trailers, small caravans, 2 wide electric bike racks or 3+ normal bikes.

The Poelstar 2 can pull some full size caravans! Although expect range to be at least 1/2 of what you normally get - could be lower than 100 miles if pulling a full 1500kg Caravan!

I've seen a video of a Model X pulling a small trailer loaded up to 900kg and it getting 50% of it's range! Although note that the trailer it was pulling wasn't very aerodynamic.

But if you really need that nose load or >910kg pulling load ... then a Polestar 2 does deliver what no other EV can do at the moment (at least in the UK that I'm aware off).

 

[Guyownscar]

Typical Class I (US designation) hitches can hold only 2 bikes. The Polestar hitch looks like a Class I but the manual specifically references 4 bikes. Anyone know why there is this difference? I am planning on putting 2 adult/2 kid bikes on.

 

[GDank]

The EU we have to drive slower, we have generally slower roads anyway, and therefore we can tow more.

The US nose load has to be x% of total load so you can't tow as much because you can drive a lot faster.

Regardless of all that ...

A good 4 bike Towbar bike carrier is around 20kgs with a max Bike Capacity of 60kg. That's a total of 80kgs which is less than the Polestar 2 tow bar.

So you are less than the 90kg's the car can handle technically. As for US regulations and what you will be allowed ... you'll have to find that out I'm afraid.

 

[Guyownscar]

Yea, it certainly seems like it should be fine, just puzzled a bit. I don’t think it is a regulatory issue. Oh well, I will try it and let everyone know if the bikes end up strewn all over the road.

 

[polerad]

If you want to see the tow bar installation, check these pics out on instagram:
http://instagr.am/p/CEmt93tnWlN/

 

[polerad]

If you want to see the tow bar installation, check these pics out on instagram:
http://instagr.am/p/CEmt93tnWlN/

At the SF PopUp today, I re-tested the tow bar on their P*2. I didn't quite stand on it, but I put close to my full ~80 kg body weight (don't judge; pandemic pounds) on the ball and it didn't budge. They also had a sticker saying "90 kg max load 4x [bike picture]".
So, yeah, you should be fine to put a rack with 4x bikes on it.

 

[Guyownscar]

Thanks for checking it out! Now . . . where is my car?

 

[JPC]

At the SF PopUp today, I re-tested the tow bar on their P*2. I didn't quite stand on it, but I put close to my full ~80 kg body weight (don't judge; pandemic pounds) on the ball and it didn't budge. They also had a sticker saying "90 kg max load 4x [bike picture]".
So, yeah, you should be fine to put a rack with 4x bikes on it.

Sorry if this has been answered elsewhere, but can someone confirm that the US models are being fitted with a different towbar from what we see in the European pictures? Namely, do the US models have a removable ball that leaves a square receiver hitch available for attaching a 3rd party bike rack (like the 1up)? I'm assuming that since it says Class 1 it would be a 1.25" square receiver. Are there any photos anywhere that show this?

 

[polerad]

Sorry if this has been answered elsewhere, but can someone confirm that the US models are being fitted with a different towbar from what we see in the European pictures? Namely, do the US models have a removable ball that leaves a square receiver hitch available for attaching a 3rd party bike rack (like the 1up)? I'm assuming that since it says Class 1 it would be a 1.25" square receiver. Are there any photos anywhere that show this?

Yes to all questions. You can see details including pics of the US towbar in the online manual. Definitely has removable ball revealing a 1-1/4” receiver rated to carry a typical 4-bike rack with its 90kg tongue weight rating.

 

[JPC]

Yes to all questions.

Thanks polerad! I didn't think to look in the manual.

 

[Jeff_in_SF]

Sorry if this has been asked, but I'm reading the P*2 has 2,000 lbs towing on the polestar.com website press release and in the currently live configurator if I want to add the towbar. I was told 3,300 lbs at the SF popup and google shows me lots of articles with both numbers. Does anyone know for sure what the towing capacity is?

 

[polerad]

Sorry if this has been asked, but I'm reading the P*2 has 2,000 lbs towing on the polestar.com website press release and in the currently live configurator if I want to add the towbar. I was told 3,300 lbs at the SF popup and google shows me lots of articles with both numbers. Does anyone know for sure what the towing capacity is?

I'd go with what the manual or what other written sources might say. The folks of the SF PopUp are great, helpful. well intentioned, and nice. But getting exact technical details/specs from them is hit or miss, likely because they haven't been trained on the specific matter, and they're googling this stuff in the background just like we are. I'm guessing one of them found the limits in the EU/UK, where they have a different tow bar that has a different configuration. Our in the US has a removable ball, an apparently higher tongue weight, but lower overall tow rating - possibly also because we are allowed to drive faster while towing.

So yeah, listen to the manual for hard numbers like tow limits - just ignore the copy/paste stuff from Volvo ICE manuals; an earlier iteration of the online manual talked about lower tow ratings at altitude because the air is thinner so engine performance is worse....

 

[Jeff_in_SF]

I ended up reaching out to our good friend Alane in Polestar Support, they replied with these specs:

• Accessory weight: 67 lb
• Tow ball diameter: 2”
• Class I
• Max. towing capacity: 2000 lb
• Max. towing unbraked trailer: 1000 lb
• Max. tow ball pressure: 200 lb
• 4-pin connection

This actually differs slightly from what the website says so who knows. Website matches all of the above but says 1650 lb for unbraked trailer 🤷‍♂️

What this does pretty clearly mean is that the 3,300 lb number being thrown around is incorrect.

 

[GDank]

I ended up reaching out to our good friend Alane in Polestar Support, they replied with these specs:

• Accessory weight: 67 lb (30kg)
• Tow ball diameter: 2”
• Class I
• Max. towing capacity: 2000 lb (900kg) (EU: 1500kg / 3300lb)
• Max. towing unbraked trailer: 1000 lb (450kg) (EU: 750kg / 1650lb)
• Max. tow ball pressure: 200 lb (90kg)
• 4-pin connection (EU: 13pin Connector)

This actually differs slightly from what the website says so who knows. Website matches all of the above but says 1650 lb for unbraked trailer 🤷‍♂️

What this does pretty clearly mean is that the 3,300 lb number being thrown around is incorrect.

OK I added kg's to the above for frame of reference. I Also added the EU numbers.

From that you'll see where the 1650/3300lb has come from. The problem is that in the EU if we pull a trailer generally we have to drive slower. Normally 60mph max (although some EU countries are obviously different). From my limited understanding in the US you can tow a trailer a lot faster (80mph?), therefore the down play max capacity for legal reasons.

 

[Jeff_in_SF]

OK I added kg's to the above for frame of reference. I Also added the EU numbers.

From that you'll see where the 1650/3300lb has come from. The problem is that in the EU if we pull a trailer generally we have to drive slower. Normally 60mph max (although some EU countries are obviously different). From my limited understanding in the US you can tow a trailer a lot faster (80mph?), therefore the down play max capacity for legal reasons.

Interesting, thanks for highlighting that

 

[HugoCurran]

Can the towbar be retrofitted? I was going to order a car with it fitted but CS advised that would impose a delay on delivery. I think I read somewhere that it is fitted in Belgium before delivery, so it should be possible to get a retrofit?

 

[krheinwald]

Yes. They are fitted by the Volvo dealer delivering your car. They can be retrofitted as to the PS specialist @ my Volvo/PS service center but will cost 500€ more.

 

[GDank]

Can the towbar be retrofitted? I was going to order a car with it fitted but CS advised that would impose a delay on delivery. I think I read somewhere that it is fitted in Belgium before delivery, so it should be possible to get a retrofit?

While it has been done else where, speaking to Polestar on the phone they said no one in the UK is trained to do the install.

It's not that hard ... the only "hard" part is wiring up the electronic release button. So I'm not sure if this is some BS to stop people ordering without and then getting Volvo to retrofit or true. Giving them the benefit of doubt I suspect they meant "No one has been trained to install specifically a tow bar on the Polestar 2"

If you are not fussed over the official semi-electronic one, I'm sure you could get a removeable one fitted for a lot cheaper from a third party.

 

[krheinwald]

... no one in the UK is trained to do the install.
It's not that hard ... the only "hard" part is wiring up the electronic release button.

Interesting. It seems to be the same process as for a Volvo and the hardest part seems to be to make a clean cut out in the lower fairing