Polestar has unveiled its first fully-electric sports car – the Polestar 2 – with an explicit plan to take on Elon Musk. The five-door fastback will enter production in 2020, aimed at the same audience as the Tesla Model 3.
“Polestar 2 is our first fully electric car and first volume model. Everything about it has been designed and engineered with passion and dedication,” said the company’s CEO Thomas Ingenlath.
The guide purchase price of the launch version will be €59,900 (about $68,000/£51,000/AU$96,00). Polestar will announce subscription pricing at a later date.
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In an unusual move, the car’s infotainment system is powered by Android, giving drivers access to a the Google Play Store’s full collection of apps. Google Maps will provide turn-by-turn navigation on an 11-inch touchscreen.
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Convenient charging looks set to be one of the Polestar 2’s main attractions. The company, which is jointly owned by Volvo and Chinese automaker Geely, says it’s working with the owners of public charging networks so drivers can juice up whenever they need to.
Tesla, meanwhile, is planning to expand its Supercharger network throughout Europe this year, but recently ended its free referral program and raised prices by 10%. If Polestar can offer a more affordable alternative, it may be in with a chance of eating Elon Musk’s lunch.
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