It appears the Polestar 2 has been a pretty reasonable success for this new brand. It also appears that Polestar wants to compete against other premium brands in the large SUV segment next with the Polestar 3. On the face of it, the Polestar 3 looks like it will be a very capable large EV, along with the fact it can tow over 2,000kg, which is currently rare in the EV market. However, there is an area where Polestar doesn’t seem to be progressing, and that is with the efficiency of their vehicles. Hence, the range of the 3 is less than expected.
Table of Contents
Key Polestar 3 Specs
- Official Towing Capacity – 2,200 kg (Dual Motor & Performance)
- Availability – Late 2023
- Price – £79,900 (Dual Motor) > £85,500 (Performance)
- Range (EV Database) – 305 miles (Dual Motor), 290 (Performance)
- Estimated Towing Range (50%) – 155 miles (Dual Motor), 145 (Performance)
- Maximum DC Charge Rate – 250 kW (Long Range)
- Rapid Charge 10% to 80% – 32 mins
- Check Used Polestar 3 Specs
Polestar 3 HP & Torque
- Dual Motor: AWD with 483 HP and 620 lb-ft of torque
- Performance: AWD with 510 HP and 671 lb-ft of torque
Polestar 3 Towing Capabilities
So to point out the very obvious, this is a large electric SUV that’s aimed at the premium end of the market and comes with a not-surprising premium price point.
The Polestar 3 is obviously targeting the likes of the Audi E-Tron, the BMW iX maybe even the Mercedes EQS SUV or Tesla Model X, but those cars are notably larger and even more expensive.
With a towing capacity of 2,200kg on the Polestar 3, the BMW iX and Tesla Model X can tow that amount or more in the case of the BMW iX. Furthermore, the 300-mile-ish real-world range should mean around 150 miles when towing in average conditions.
The 250kW rapid charging rate is competitive if not marketing-leading, its comparable to the speeds the BMW iX and Tesla Model X can manage. Though, at this point, its still going to be easier to do those charging speeds in the Tesla with the help of the supercharger network.
Polestar 3 Poor Efficiency
From the reveal event in the video above, Polestar wanted to emphasize that they take sustainability seriously, which is obviously something we should all want to hear.
With regards to their development of the materials used in the Polestar 3, it does appear that they are working hard to make those materials more sustainable. However, sustainability should also apply to the wider vehicle as a whole.
In other words, making sure that as little energy as possible is actually needed to move the car along the road. Well, if we take the efficiency figure of the Polestar 3 Long Range at 351 Wh/Mile, that’s not a great figure when you compare it to the competition.
A BMW iX x Drive 50 has an efficiency figure of 334 Wh/Mile, and a Tesla Model X Long Range has an efficiency figure of 322 Wh/Mile. Hence, both are notably more efficient than the Polestar 3.
Please note, the Polestar 3 is a smaller SUV than those examples, with a maximum storage capacity of 1,411 litres. The BMW iX has a maximum storage capacity of 1,750 litres, and the Tesla Model X has a maximum storage capacity of 2,577 litres.
Polestar 3 First Look
Below I’ve included a video from Fully Charged and their first look at the Polestar 3 at the launch event.
In Jack’s conclusion, he echoes my comments above on efficiency and how it appears to be an area where Polestar needs to improve the 3 to even match the existing competition.
My Thoughts On The Polestar 3…
With regards to looks, sure, I like how the Polestar 3 looks, I think it also has good performance figures, its rapid charging rate is respectable if not groundbreaking, and its 2.2-ton towing capacity gets a thumbs up from me.
However, the Polestar 3 doesn’t offer that much internal storage space for an SUV, and as stated above, its efficiency figures are a concern for me. Now, you could rightly say that the Polestar 3 is priced £20k to £30k below the two other examples I gave above of the BMW iX and Tesla Model X.
So I’ll leave you with another comparison, the Polestar 3 has a similar internal volume to the Fisker Ocean. While the Ocean can only tow 1,800kg, that’s probably going to meet most people’s needs.
The Fisker Ocean has a similar battery pack size to the Polestar 3, but its much more efficient (317 Wh/Mile). In Ocean Extreme trim, it has more power than the Polestar 3, and it costs £20K less as well.