Polestar, Volvo’s electric high-performance brand, last week unveiled the extent of the overhaul that the Polestar 2 compact sedan will undergo for the 2024 model year. Without completely overhauling the recipe, the changes are nevertheless important and focus on the entry-level version.
The least expensive two-wheel drive livery thus sees its engine move to the rear in order to sharpen its road behavior in addition to gaining nearly 70 hp in passing (299 hp in all). This technical choice is accompanied by an increase in the capacity of the battery, which increases to 82 kWh and can tolerate a maximum charging power of 205 kW. Autonomy also increases, from 435 km to 482 km, according to estimates provided by the manufacturer. The standard equipment has also been improved in parallel with these changes.
The two-motor version sees the total power increase by 13 hp and its torque by 79 lb-ft, or 421 hp and 546 lb-ft respectively. The configuration of these motors has also been reworked to allow complete decoupling of the front motor to ensure better efficiency. The rear engine then does most of the work, which allows a more playful behavior, according to Polestar. The current livery is slightly understeered on re-acceleration, so this approach should improve it. Note also that this version retains the current battery of 78 kWh and that the theoretical autonomy increases by 18 km, to 434 km.
Moreover, note the presence of a grille now smooth in the color of the bodywork, thus aligning with the stylistic approach of the Polestar 3, the first SUV of the brand which will be marketed at the end of the year. This Polestar 2 will arrive in Canada in the summer.