Polestar sees itself as a sporty performance brand. The company also wants to live up to this claim in the area of large, luxurious electric SUVs – a domain of German premium manufacturers. The Polestar 3 takes on the competition with up to 517 hp, a large battery and correspondingly long ranges. The fact that a certain technological leap has not yet been made has to do with Tesla.
Polestar means Polar Star in German. And that already indicates the origin of the company of the same name, which is Nordic. Polestar Engineered began as a racing team and Volvo’s in-house tuner, and in 2017 it became an independent brand based in Gothenburg, Sweden, which builds exclusively electric cars.
The relationship with Volvo has nevertheless been maintained: Polestar was founded as a joint venture between Volvo and its Chinese parent company Geely. In February 2024, however, the Swedes, who were still the main shareholders at the time, sold the majority of their stake to Geely. This was to get rid of a burden, as Polestar was making high losses. This is also visible in Germany, where new registrations recently – January to August 2024 – fell by almost 56 percent.
Delayed start
Being a pure electric car manufacturer is not easy at the moment anyway. But Polestar also lacked model variety, with nothing except the Polestar 2 sedan. The Polestar 3 was supposed to be added to the range as early as 2023. But then its launch had to be postponed due to software problems. It is no coincidence that the same thing happened to the Volvo EX90 (you can read our first test here), as both models are technically closely related.
Strong performance: The minimum for the Polestar 3 is 299, the maximum 517 electric horsepower. Manufacturer
But now it’s finally here, the 3 Series from Polestar, the first examples were delivered to German customers in July. Like the Volvo EX90, the Polestar 3 is also an XXL SUV in the luxury class and aims to compete with the Mercedes EQS SUV, Audi Q8 e-tron or BMW iX. However, the two brothers are not entirely alike. At 4.90 meters long, the Polestar is almost 15 centimeters shorter than the Volvo, it only has five seats, not seven, and the more dynamic, coupé-like, but nonetheless Scandinavian-clear design pursues the declared goal of interpreting the theme of a large family vehicle in a sporty way.
Three drive variants
Brand logo: Polestar means Polar Star, and that is what you should see. Manufacturer
Three different variants are offered, all of which use a generous 111 kWh battery for energy storage, but differ in terms of range. Our sensible choice would be the basic model “Long Range Single Motor“, which has only one electric motor on the rear axle, which delivers 220 kW/229 hp and produces 490 Newton meters of torque. According to the WLTP standard, there can be up to 650 kilometers between two charging stops. With the Long Range Dual Motor Another electric motor is added to the front axle, which together produces 360 kW/489 hp, 840 Newton meters of torque and all-wheel drive, and the range is 631 kilometers. As with the comparable EX90, there is an electric “torque vectoring dual clutch function” on the rear axle, which can be used to decouple the rear electric motor under certain circumstances, meaning the vehicle can only be operated with front-wheel drive in order to save electricity.
Optionally, for the dual-motor version, a Performance-Package can be ordered, the power then increases to 380 kW/517 hp, the torque to 910 Newton meters, but at the same time the range decreases to 561 kilometers.
Polestar has designed the spacious passenger area in a similar minimalistic way to Volvo’s EX90, with reference to appropriate sustainability, which is manifested in materials such as – we quote – “animal-friendly leather and fully traceable wool covers”. The focal point of the Android Automotive OS operating system, developed jointly with Google, is the large 14.5-inch portrait screen, which also has to be touched for standard functions such as adjusting the mirrors and steering wheel, setting the climate control and even opening the glove compartment. Behind the steering wheel is the obligatory digital driver’s instrumentation, and a head-up display is also used to convey information.
Carefully monitored
The person behind the wheel is not left unattended; eye-tracking technology monitors their eyes; if worrying signs of distraction, drowsiness or mental absence are detected, the system triggers warnings, sounds and, if necessary, emergency braking. The large Polestar also has a heart for children and animals; radar sensors detect “movements in the sub-millimeter range”, as it says, which is intended to prevent the kids or the dog from accidentally being left behind in the vehicle. The technology works with the air conditioning to protect the two- or four-legged passengers from heat stroke on the one hand and hypothermia on the other.
Operating concept: Almost everything is concentrated on the large central screen. Manufacturer
We undertook a first test drive in the Alpine foothills with the top performance model. As expected, the 517 hp, almost 2.6 tonne electric giant overtakes the tractor trailers of the Upper Bavarian farmers with absolutely no effort; we weave our way up to Walchensee, over the Sudelfeldstrasse and the Tatzelwurm, although strict speed limits must be observed, and we get an idea of the light-footedness of the dynamically tuned, but also trouble-free two-chamber air suspension, which can be adjusted in three stages and is part of the standard equipment.
Lidar is still a long way off
A total of five radar modules, five external cameras and twelve external ultrasonic sensors support the numerous safety functions. However, the optional pilot package with lidar system, which will then prepare the Polestar 3 for autonomous driving, will not be available until next spring. Unlike the Volvo EX90, which is also still on hold when it comes to lidar, a software update will not be enough, because unlike its sister model, the Polestar still lacks the unattractive but essential hood above the windshield.
Nice to drive: Polestar’s 3 Series comes with a two-chamber air suspension as standard. Manufacturer
On the highway, 210 km/h would be possible, but we settled for an energy-saving 130 km/h. In the end, the on-board computer showed us a consumption of 23.5 kWh/100 km. Given the size and weight of the vehicle, this is a decent value, but one that is unlikely to be maintained if you drive more briskly. At the beginning of our test drive, we took a look at the range indicator, which promised us 460 kilometers with a fully charged battery.
Strong workhorse
Side note: If we had been caravanners on holiday, we would have been allowed to tow a trailer weighing up to 2200 kilograms. The single-engine version has a maximum trailer load of 1500 kilograms.
It’s up to Tesla
For the time being, both Volvo and Polestar are limiting their large electric vehicles to a 400-volt on-board system and are foregoing the more powerful 800-volt technology at the charging station. Polestar’s Chief Technology Officer Lutz Stiegler cites a cooperation with Tesla as the reason for this. The “Polestar Charge” charging program gives customers discounts at superchargers, among other things, but these only deliver direct current at a maximum of 250 kW. Adapting an 800-volt on-board network accordingly, says Stiegler, would simply be very complex. Ideally, the Polestar 3 hits the mark with the DC fast charging capacity of 250 kW, and the battery should be able to be charged from ten to 80 percent within half an hour. The standard wallbox charges at a modest 11 kW, and “filling up” once takes eleven hours.
Luxury, performance and long-distance competence cost money: the basic price for the Polestar 3 is just under 80,000 euros. Manufacturer
Anyone who doesn’t have a deep car budget will probably quickly put the price list down or close the configurator. The basic Long Range Single Motor model costs at least 78,590 euros, the Dual Motor costs 85,590 euros, and the Performance Package costs 92,190 euros. “Exclusively and on request,” as it says, there is a discount of 4,000 euros until November 15, 2024.
No fear of import duties
At least a price increase due to EU import duties is not to be expected. The Geely subsidiary is an example of how the planned “punitive tax” on Chinese cars can be circumvented: the Polestar 3 is produced in Chengdu, China, but also in the Volvo plant in Ridgeville, which is located in the US state of South Carolina. It is from there, it is said, that “other markets” are supplied in addition to North America. It can be assumed with certainty that these include the EU countries with active customs duties.
Ulla Ellmer
Polestar 3 in brief:
When it comes: First deliveries have already taken place
Who he is targeting: Volvo EX90, BMW iX, Mercedes EQS SUV, Audi Q8 e-tron
What drives him: The Polestar 3 Long Range Single Motor has an electric motor with 220 kW/299 hp, the Long Range Dual Motor has an electric motor at the front and rear (total output 360 kW/489 hp), the Dual Motor Performance also has an electric motor at the front and rear (total output 380 kW/517 hp). Battery capacity 111 kWh.
What it costs: From 78,590 euros
