The Polestar 3 is an electric SUV that goes the distance

The latest entrant in the increasingly crowded electric SUV market debuts with specs to rival the Tesla Model X.

By Richard Ng / 22 Oct 2022

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Swedish electric vehicle (EV) makers Polestar have unveiled the Polestar 3, their third car and first-ever SUV with headline features including an impressive 610km range. Yes, that means the aerodynamic new EV packs better battery life than its contemporaries like the Tesla Model X, at the expense of a little power output.

It zooms to 100kmh in around five seconds thanks to a power output of around 380kW (or 4.7 and 380 respectively if one opts for the performance package) – not bad for a full five-seater, and certainly agile enough for quick jaunts around Singapore. Speed junkies, of course, might default to the Model X’s 3.9 second century sprint.

The Polestar 3 has a top-end speed of 210kmh, which means that a road trip to Malaysia’s capital, Kuala Lumpur should be comfortably within six hours. The car's battery would be able to last without the need for a layover at the nearest EV charging station. The journey might be a little dicier with a Model X, which has an estimated range of 560km, when accounting for idling in traffic jams.

A strong charging capacity of 250kW

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But should one need to stop for a charge, the Polestar 3’s numbers look good on that front as well with a direct current (DC; these are typically faster than alternating current, or AC versions) charging capacity of 250kW. This means a quick half-hour stop brings you from 10 to 80 per cent battery capacity without a sweat — identical to the Tesla Model X’s DC charging rate.

Specifications aside, Polestar 3’s interior materials have been selected to bring forward the sustainability ethos its Swedish parent is striving for. These include traceable wool upholsteries, cruelty-free leather as well as bio-attributed Microtech, which behind the jargon means a suede-like textile hewn from certified renewable vinyl and recycled polyester textiles.

The company is also committed to a complete lifecycle assessment to determine its carbon footprint (and plan future design innovations around reducing footprint).

Related: The best electric cars in Singapore for an eco-friendly ride

Stay informed with a full-suite of infotainment systems

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Like is most contemporary e-SUVs, expect a full-suite of infotainment systems that are broadcasted on a 14.5-inch central display stuck on the vehicle’s dashboard and powered by a next-generation chipset. As the brand is co-owned by Volvo and Geely, the Polestar 3 also arrives with a number of active and passive safety features.

Apart from the usual parking and assisted driving functions, new safety gizmos include eye-tracking tech to suss out drowsy, distracted or disoriented drivers, with warning messages, alerts and ultimately an emergency-stop function to keep passengers and drivers safe. There’s also an interior-radar sensor to detect small movements – the kind that pets and children make when left in the car. Linked to the vehicle’s climate control system, it’ll help said pets and children avoid heat stroke or hypothermia.

The first production Polestar 3’s will roll out of Volvo’s Chengdu factory from mid-2023, with deliveries to follow soon after. While it is priced at €89,900 (roughly S$124,750) in Germany, local market pricing has not been finalised.

Related: Polestar shoots for the first carbon neutral car come 2030

Cars, electric vehicles, Polestar