Polestar 2 EV production begins, despite COVID-19 spread
Deliveries will first start in Europe, then China and finally, the US.
We've heard a lot about auto production coming to a halt in Europe and North America, but on the flip side of things, Polestar is moving full speed ahead to start Polestar 2 production -- its direct Tesla Model 3 rival.
Polestar revealed on Monday that production began this week at its factory in Luqiao, settled in China's eastern Zhejiang province. There, the Polestar 2 shares an assembly line with the Volvo XC40. If you're wondering about the China connection, Chinese automaker Geely owns both brands.
Ahead of the formal announcement, Polestar sent an email to fans and future owners globally on Monday, which noted Volvo Group's electric car division took the coronavirus outbreak very seriously. Thanks to stringent policies, its Chinese operations were not affected. In fact, Polestar touted zero cases of COVID-19, the disease the coronavirus causes, in its Chinese teams. Temperature screenings, thorough disinfecting processes and masks for every worker were just a few of Polestar's strategies.
And the worked. Polestar CEO Thomas Ingenlath commended the workforce and thanked the teams for securing the supply chain needed to begin production amid so much disruption around the globe.
Soon-to-be owners are in for quite a car, from our calculations. The range-topping Polestar 2 should pack an estimated 275 miles, 408 horsepower and 487 pound-feet of torque and an Android-powered infotainment system with a focus on simplicity. A 78 kilowatt-hour battery provides juice for the dual e-motor setup.
For now, the sole 2 headed to production will be the Launch Edition model, which rings in at $63,000 before any tax credits. After the first year of production, Polestar plans to roll out a $55,000 model and then a single-motor variant with a less expensive starting price that's to be determined. Europe will have first dibs on deliveries, which should start in the summer. Polestar will then start deliveries in China before North America sees its first Polestar 2 hit the road.
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