The Polestar 2 Electric Hatchback: The Complete Guide For India

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Electric Cars: The Basics

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For those of you new to zero-emission electric driving, we recommend a read of the following articles:

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The Polestar 2 Electric Hatchback

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Polestar is a high performance Swedish automotive brand established by Volvo in 1996. The Volvo Group has a long history of success and was established in 1927. Since then the company has had multiple owners, to include the US based, Ford Motor Company.

Its current owner is a Chinese automotive behemoth, Geely Automobile, which acquired Volvo Cars in 2010. Geely also owns the automotive brands Lotus Cars and Polestar. Polestar’s portfolio of battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) include:

• The all-electric Polestar 2
• The all-electric Polestar 3

Volvo Cars, the Swedish luxury vehicles manufacturer, announced in 2017 that Polestar would commence manufacturing high-end performance electric vehicles (EVs) to compete head-on against Tesla. The manufacturer introduced the first Polestar car in October 2017, the limited edition hybrid Polestar 1, inspired by Volvo’s Concept Coupe introduced in 2013.  Fast forward to 2019, and Polestar had unveiled its first mass-market 5 door all-electric car, the Polestar 2. 

The Polestar 2 interior has the hallmarks of classic Volvo styling with ‘minimalism’ and ‘clean Scandinavian design’ at its core. However, the CEO of Polestar has been quick to point out that the Polestar 2 design has not been limited by traditional Volvo designs based on practicality, comfort and safety. The Polestar 2 has been designed in a more progressive and performance oriented manner. The interiors themes have been curated around three cities as inspiration: Shanghai, Berlin and London. 

The all-electric hatchback is perfect for families already familiar with the advantages of owning and driving a Volvo car i.e. a fantastic reputation for safety and quality. Of course, the electric Polestar further enhances this enviable reputation, given the environment-friendly nature of zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs) i.e. no tailpipe pollution!

The Polestar 2 is available in two EV battery options: 69 kWh (standard range) and 78 kWh (long range). The standard range has a claimed zero-tailpipe emission electric range up to 477 km (WLTP) and the long range has an e-range up to 550 km.

Pure electric cars have come a long way over the past decade, with a 500 km EV range now fast becoming the norm. In face, ‘range anxiety’ is fast disappearing from the narrative on electric driving, as consumers become more confident of the available range and the public EV charging infrastructure.

Even adjusting for real-world driving i.e. weather, road conditions, driving profile, load etc, the Polestar offers excellent pure electric range for short and long distance driving. For the 69 kWh EV battery, expect a real-world range closer to 400 km and for the 78 kWh, a 465 km EV range.

For longer motorway driving trips, the Polestar electric car offers DC charging capability up to 155 kW. The smaller 69 kWh EV variant can be charged up to 130 kW DC (10%-80%: 35 minutes). While the larger 78 kWh EV battery variant can be charged up to 155 kW DC (10%-80%: 35 minutes). Just enough time to get a coffee and have a brief rest before getting along with journey.

The Polestar EV offers a 3-phase 11 kW AC onboard charger as standard. However, given that the majority of homes have single-phase power supply, taking advantage of the 22 kW onboard charger will be only for those with access to three-phase EV charging at home, work or at a public destination.

At 11 kW, the 69 kWh EV battery can be fully charged in 7 hours, while the 78 kWh EV battery will take up to 8 hours to fully charge. Single-phase EV charging will take longer (up to 12 hours for the larger EV battery). We at e-zoomed recommend charging overnight at home, when the electricity tariff rates are cheaper.

The Polestar family electric car is available as front-wheel drive (FWD) and an all-wheel drive (AWD). However the AWD is only available with the larger 78 kWh EV battery. In terms of performance, the EV does not disappoint. The Standard Range Single Motor variant can achieve 0-100 km/h in 7.0 seconds (max power: 228 bhp).

The top speed is 160 km/h. The top of the range, Long Range Dual Motor can achieve 0-100 km/h in 4.5 seconds (max power: 402 bhp). The top speed is 205 km/h.

In terms of technology and features, the EV has much to offer either as standard or an option upgrade pack. These include: energy saving heat pump, wireless mobile phone charging, Google built-in, Digital key with pre-climate, 2-zone climate system, over-the-air updates, rear camera, front and rear park assist, keyless entry and more. In terms of practicality, the EV offers a 405 L boot space.

Bottom-line, electric driving is good for the environment and the wallet! The Polestar 2 electric car is not available in India.

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PROS	CONS
Available in two EV battery sizes	Energy saving heat pump not a standard option
Good pure electric range and 11 kW AC onboard charger as standard	DC charging limited to 155 kW
Available as FWD and AWD	Colour options relatively dull colours

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The All-Electric Polestar 2 Hatchback (credit: Polestar)

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At A Glance
EV Type:	Battery-Electric Vehicle (BEV)
Vehicle Type:	Hatchback
Engine:	Electric
Available In India:	No

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Trims (1 Option)
Polestar 2 (from ₹ N/A)

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EV Battery & Emissions
EV Battery Type:	Lithium-ion
EV Battery Capacity:	Available in two battery sizes: 69 kWh/ 78 kWh
Charging:	150 kW Rapid Charging. On board charger: 11kW AC
Charge Port:	Type 2
EV Cable Type:	Type 2
Tailpipe Emissions:	0g (CO2/km)
Battery Warranty:	8 years or 160,000 km

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Charging Times (Overview)
Slow charging AC (3 kW – 3.6 kW):	6 – 12 hours (dependent on size of EV battery & SOC)
Fast charging AC (7 kW – 22 kW):	3 – 8 hours (dependent on size of EV battery & SoC)
Rapid charging AC (43 kW):	0-80%: 20 mins to 60 mins (dependent on size of EV battery & SoC)
Rapid charging DC (50 kW+):	0-80%: 20 mins to 60 mins (dependent on size of EV battery & SoC)
Ultra rapid charging DC (150 kW+):	0-80% : 20 mins to 40 mins (dependent on size of EV battery & SoC)
Tesla Supercharger (120 kW – 250 kW):	0-80%: up to 25 mins (dependent on size of EV battery & SoC)

• Note 1: SoC: state of charge

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Dimensions
Height (mm):	1479
Width (mm):	1985
Length (mm):	4606
Wheelbase (mm):	2735
Turning Circle (m):	11.9
Boot Space (L):	405

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Standard Range Single Motor
EV Battery Capacity:	69 kWh
Pure Electric Range (WLTP):	477 km
Electric Energy Consumption (Wh/km):	171
Charging:	130 kW DC Rapid Charging (10%-80%: 35 mins). Onboard charger: 11kW AC (0%-100%: 7 hrs)
Top Speed:	160 km/h
0-100 km/h:	7.0 seconds
Drive:	Front-wheel drive (FWD)
Electric Motor (kW):	170
Horsepower (bhp):	228
Torque (lb-ft):	243
Transmission:	Automatic
Seats:	5
Doors:	5
Unladen Weight (kg):	2,198
Colours:	6
NCAP Safety Rating:	Five-Star

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Long Range Single Motor
EV Battery Capacity:	78 kWh
Pure Electric Range (WLTP):	550 km
Electric Energy Consumption (Wh/km):	171
Charging:	155 kW DC Rapid Charging (10%-80%: 35 mins). Onboard charger: 11kW AC (0%-100%: 8 hrs)
Top Speed:	160 km/h
0-100 km/h:	7.0 seconds
Drive:	Front-wheel drive (FWD)
Electric Motor (kW):	170
Horsepower (hp):	228
Torque (lb-ft):	243
Transmission:	Automatic
Seats:	5
Doors:	5
Unladen Weight (kg):	2,198
Colours:	6
NCAP Safety Rating:	Five-Star

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Long Range Dual Motor
EV Battery Capacity:	78 kWh
Pure Electric Range (WLTP):	485 km
Electric Energy Consumption (Wh/km):	194
Charging:	155 kW DC Rapid Charging (10%-80%: 35 mins). Onboard charger: 11kW AC (0%-100%: 8 hrs)
Top Speed:	205 km/h
0-100 km/h:	4.5 seconds
Drive:	All-wheel drive (AWD)
Electric Motor (kW):	300
Horsepower (hp):	402
Torque (lb-ft):	487
Transmission:	Automatic
Seats:	5
Doors:	5
Unladen Weight (kg):	2,198
Colours:	6
NCAP Safety Rating:	Five-Star

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India Electric Vehicle (EV) Market

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India, like many other countries, is well positioned to benefit from the shift to zero-tailpipe emission electric driving. Road transportation is a major contributor to air pollution (over 30%), choking our towns, cities and villages across India.

Diesel vehicles, in particular, diesel trucks and diesel buses, are significant sources for tailpipe emissions. But given the rise in the standard of living, since liberalisation, the demand for privately owned passenger cars has increased at an unprecedented pace, further worsening the air quality. India has more than 3 crores (30 million) cars releasing tailpipe emissions on its roads!

Though we have seen some improvements in air quality during the ongoing pandemic (as a result of lower vehicle traffic), India’s shift to electric driving will be key in achieving long-term higher air quality.

Of course, apart from EVs, the continued development of green and renewable energy infrastructure will be key in achieving lower long-term air pollution. India has already demonstrated global leadership in regards to large-scale solar and wind projects! Hopefully, India will replicate the success with zero-emission electric vehicles.

Despite recent announcements and support from local and national government agencies in India, the EV market is still at a nascent stage, well, at least in terms of electric cars and electric vans. Two-wheel electric scooters and three-wheel electric rickshaws (e-rickshaws) have demonstrated a strong uptake, and India is poised to become a global leader in electric scooters and electric rickshaws (e-tuk).

In fact, the ubiquitous e-rickshaw commands an impressive 83% of the Indian electric vehicle market. India currently has over 15 lakhs (1.5 million) e-rickshaws, with each EV playing a role in reducing tailpipe emissions on our roads in India.

Sales of passenger electric cars is still at an early stage. In FY2021, though the market witnessed a growth of nearly 110% from the previous year, the absolute volume of cars sold was only 5,905 electric cars. Currently there are less that 15 pure electric car models available on sale in India.

Tata Motors, the biggest automotive manufacturer in India has launched the Tata Nexon electric SUV. Mahindra Electric, another leading Indian automotive manufacturer, has also launched a number of plug-in electric vehicles (EVs), to include, the Mahindra eVerito electric car, Mahindra eSupro electric van and Mahindra e2o Plus compact electric car.

International manufacturers, like UK based MG Motors, have also launched the MG ZS electric SUV in India. Also available are the all-electric Jaguar I-PACE SUV and the Hyundai Kona electric SUV.

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Global Electric Vehicle (EV) Market

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Battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), more commonly referred to simply as, electric vehicles (EVs) or as plug-in electric cars, have come a long way over the past decade and certainly a long way over the past 100 years.

Electric vehicles came into prominence in the early 1900’s, a time when horse-drawn carriages were the primary mode of transportation. Archived black and white photographs from that period show famous avenues like Madison Avenue in New York city filled with horse-drawn carriages.  

In stark contrast, a similar photograph taken a decade later of Madison Avenue showed not a single horse-drawn carriage.  Instead the avenue was filled with motor vehicles, a new invention at that time. 

We are now witnessing a similar fundamental shift in road transportation, as polluting internal combustion engines (ICE) petrol and diesel vehicles are being replaced by low-emission and zero-emission electric vehicles. In countries like the United Kingdom, a leader in e-mobility, we can expect a comprehensive replacement of petrol and diesel vehicles by 2030 (UK will ban the sale of new ICE cars in 2030). The UK is not the only country that has a vision of a mass transition to zero-tailpipe emission electric cars.

Since 2011, the global electric vehicle (EV) market has increased at a year-over-year growth rate of over 50%. In 2020, according to the Global EV Outlook 2021 report, the global stock of electric vehicles (EVs) had surpassed 10 million units.

In 2015, the Global stock was just over 1 million units. In 2020, Europe accounted for the largest share of new car registrations of EVs (1.4 million registered electric vehicles), followed by China (1.2 million electric vehicles). In Europe, countries like Norway, Iceland and Sweden continue to show strong leadership in the transition to electric driving. In Norway more than 75% of new cars are electric, followed by 50% in Iceland and 30% in Sweden.

However, this is not just a western phenomenon. A number of countries across the world have announced their support for electric cars, to include India. Pure electric cars are now common sightings in a number of global markets, and EV automotive manufacturers, like California based Tesla Motors are now household brands.

Traditional automotive manufactures have also shown significant commitment to the migration to electric engines, to include Volvo Cars, the Volkswagen Group, Renault, Nissan, Peugeot, Hyundai, Mercedes, Land Rover and many more. Forecast for the sale of EVs suggest up to 30 million electric vehicles to be sold before the end of the current decade.

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While e-zoomed uses reasonable efforts to provide accurate and up-to-date information, some of the information provided is gathered from third parties and has not been independently verified by e-zoomed. While the information from the third party sources is believed to be reliable, no warranty, express or implied, is made by e-zoomed regarding the accuracy, adequacy, completeness, legality, reliability or usefulness of any information. This disclaimer applies to both isolated and aggregate uses of this information.

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