Volvo enters the luxury EV race

Having dominated the premium car market in EVs, Tesla is now facing a potential rival in Volvo. Two years after the Swedish automaker’s EV brand Polestar was launched, Polestar 2 has just been revealed at the Geneva Motor Show 2019.

The five-door car with two electric motors will start at $63,000, thereby fitting right between the prices of different Tesla models. Lower-tier variants are expected to follow soon, starting at $45,000. The company also promises subscription models, a solution actively promoted by circular economy proponents.

According to Polestar, the new car is set to compete with Tesla’s Model 3, the starting price of which has recently been reset from $44,000 to $35,000. Tesla’s higher priced models start at over $94,000.

With a 78 kWh battery, the new car comes with a 310 miles WLTP range and can go from 0 to 60 mph in five seconds thanks to 408 horsepower under the hood. The 27-module battery integrated into the floor will help to improve the rigidity of the chassis and reduces noise and vibration.

The car will also feature a native application of Android Auto system integrating Google Maps, Assistant and Play Store apps. “The Polestar 2 begins to prepare itself even as the driver approaches,” the carmaker explains on its website. “Once the presence of the digital key is detected, the display shows pertinent information: battery status, range, and the time remaining to a full charge. There is no start button in the Polestar 2. The Polestar 2 powers up as soon as the driver is seated, the intelligent sensors in the seat signaling to the car’s systems that it’s go time.”

Among other unique treats, the car will include bezel-less mirrors, panoramic sunroof and fastback styling. Finally, the car has a powerful collision mitigation system to ensure both driver and pedestrian safety, and even a potential moose on the road is unlikely to be hurt. Production is set to begin in China in early 2020. As the market is growing, luxury EVs producers are going to face increasing competition from companies that want to make EVs affordable to everyone.