Polestar 3 Electric SUV Slated for October Debut
What's happening
Polestar confirmed the debut of its next electric car, the Polestar 3, in October.
Why it matters
Polestar's first crack at the massive SUV market should turn a few more heads in its direction.
Polestar's first two cars were a six-figure plug-in hybrid coupe and a lowish-riding hatchback. Those aren't exactly the most popular body styles in the US, but don't worry -- the Volvo offshoot isn't staying out of the zeitgeist permanently.
In fact, we'll be seeing its next vehicle later this year. In an official press release this week, Polestar announced that the Polestar 3 electric SUV will make its debut in October, and reported record sales for the first four months of 2022. While 13,600 units might not be big in, say, the Toyota Tacoma scheme of things, it represents a twofold increase in sales over the prior year.
The press release reiterated that the Polestar 3 will be manufactured in both the US and China, and each vehicle will roll out from Volvo's factory in Charleston, South Carolina.
Apart from that, the company didn't say too much more about the Polestar 3. From the teaser image we've seen, the 3 seems to adopt many of the styling cues from the Polestar 2 hatchback, albeit in a higher-riding form with a more SUV-appropriate rear. In an interview late last year, CEO Thomas Ingenlath told CNET Cars that the Polestar 3's styling will "define the look for SUVs in the electric age." Talk about a tall order.
It's hard to determine a car's size when it's shown by itself, camouflaged inside a large stone building. The Polestar 3 might look compact, but it's not. It's actually aimed at the Porsche Cayenne, and its price tag should be, too; that would put it somewhere in the $70,000 range. As for actual range, the company is aiming for somewhere in the ballpark of 370 miles. If that's a bit too big and expensive for you, keep an eye out for the Polestar 4, which should be closer to the Porsche Macan in size and cost.
In last year's interview, Ingenlath said that the Polestar 3 will one day be equipped with Luminar lidar and Nvidia's self-driving platform, which would enable some degree of hands-free operation on the highway. This sounds like it may be a later addition to the vehicle, though.
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