Polestar 2 2021: all-electric brand coming to Australia this year

In a major win for Australian consumers, Swedish car manufacturer Polestar will be arriving locally this year as part of an expansion into the Asia-Pacific region.

Polestar has announced it will arrive in Australia before the end of 2021, armed with the Polestar 2 sedan that has proven popular overseas.

The Swedish company is an off-shoot of Volvo that is now fully independent and focused on electric vehicles as parent company Geely continues to invest heavily into the emerging technology.

Polestar 2 2021 rear — Polestar will be bring the Polestar 2 to Australia before the end of 2021

After seeing some success in the United States, Europe and China; Polestar decided to expand its reach further into the Asia-Pacific region and will set up shop in South Korea, Singapore, Hong Kong, Australia and New Zealand before the end of 2021.

The decision for Polestar to sell its products in Australia will slightly expand what is a very limited selection of EVs and will give the consumer even more choice if they decide to buy an electric car.

The vote of confidence in Australia’s appetite for EVs is in stark contrast to late last year when Volkswagen expressed doubts that it could bring the ID.4 midsize SUV to Australia after several state MPs proposed an EV tax that baffled many in the industry.

Polestar 2 2021 side — The Polestar 2 uses a raised-sedan design with brutal performance figures

Polestar’s maiden solo product, the Polestar 1 coupe, is unlikely to make it to Australia as the model has just entered its final round of production but the Polestar 2 has been locked in and looks to be a fierce contender in our market.

The Polestar 2 has a Sportback design and uses two electric motors with one mounted at the front and rear to develop a combined 300kW of power and 660Nm of torque.

Powering the engines is a 78kWh battery with a WLTP tested range of 470km. The battery can be recharged at speeds of 150kW using a DC charger, enough to reach around 80 per cent capacity in 40 minutes.

Polestar 2 2021 interior — The interior uses sustainable vegan materials as standard but you can upgrade to Nappa leather upholstery as an option

While not a dedicated performance car, the Polestar 2 can accelerate from 0-100km/h in just 4.5 seconds and is said to be a solid handling machine with McPherson strut suspension up front and multi-link at the rear.

In the United States, buyers can option the Performance Pack which adds 20-inch lightweight forged alloy wheels, Öhlins adjustable suspension and beefy 4-piston Brembo front callipers sitting on larger 375mm discs – with a single-piston, 340mm set up at the rear.

Polestar has fitted the interior of its SUV with sustainable vegan materials as standard with the option to use Nappa leather upholstery if you so desire.

Polestar 2 2021 front — The Polestar 2 is on sale in the United States with a starting price of USD$59,900 (before on-roads), which translates to AUD$75,699 at the time of writing

Inline with other automakers, Polestar has used a minimalist design with features such as a 11.15-inch floating centre touchscreen which is matched with a 12.3-inch driver’s display and a 13-speaker Harman Kardon stereo system.

While Australian prices and specifications are unlikely to be confirmed for some time, the Polestar 2 starts at USD$59,900 (before on-roads) in the United States, which translates to AUD$75,699 at the time of writing.

When the Polestar 2 arrives it will join the recently announced Ioniq 5 and Tesla Model Y midsize SUVs which are both due to be released into the Australian market.

Polestar will release more information closer to the unannounced launch date later this year.