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  • Strategy.Volvo launches Polestar to compete with Tesla

There is something special about Polestar, previously only the high-performance model division and today also the Volvo electric brand, which was born from a concept car (40.2) designed by the Swedish brand's head of style in 2016 and which gave rise to the XC40 already this 2, a five-door model and 4.60 meters long. It was unique because it paved the way for Polestar and because of the appointment of Thomas Ingenlath as its CEO. This tradition of brand leaders who worked on its first models is something that takes us back to the origin of the automobile when, at the end of the 19th century, Karl Benz and Henry Ford invented the machines that changed the world (although they were engineers and not stylists).

They first had the exclusive Polestar 1, a limited-production super plug- in hybrid at an elite price, but now the 2 arrives with mass production ambitions. It is manufactured at the Liquao plant in China , using South Korean batteries from LG Chem and German electric motors from Siemens. Here you can see a photogallery with more images

Visually, the clean lines of its tall five-door body with a matching waist stand out, having the batteries on the floor and needing structural reinforcements, "because a 100% electric car requires front reinforcements because it does not have a combustion engine that helps to control deformations and ensure rigidity ", explains Hans Pehrson, head of R&D of the new Swedish brand. In addition, it also draws attention for the sober colors in which it will be available.

More quality than a Tesla Model 3

Inside, the idea has been to integrate artisan quality details in a very digital context (natural leather covering only on request. The two digital screens are immediately visible, one of 12.3 "in the instrumentation (which can have three presentations ) and the other, vertical, 11.15 "in the center of the dashboard. It is vertical, as in the Volvo, because" it is the best position for navigation and also to view listings with without having to scroll so much for it. less distracting ", they assure us in the brand.

Clear differences in relation to the philosophy of the Tesla 3 - its most direct rival - which bets on a much larger central screen (15 "), but also because there is a much higher overall quality, the main flaw that can be pointed out to the Californian start-up. But even more interesting is the fact that Polestar 2 is the first car to use Google's operating system. "We partnered with Google to develop infotainment, including the personal assistant, for the user to he could familiarize himself as soon as possible, since they are procedures and logics that he uses in his day to day, in addition to facilitating, in the future, interactivity with home automation, that is, with smart homes ".

A smart solution (it works really fast) also to avoid software problems that are common in more modern cars and that, for example, have cost the ID project manager a job at VW. Not surprising, especially since I always remember an experience years ago when I was taken to the Shanghai airport. The driver, in his early 20s, used a Chinese Google (Baidu) navigator to take me to the destination and the map was displayed on a small 6-inch device that he fixed on the dashboard of his luxurious Mercedes S-Class, equipped with two giant 12.3 "screens and the latest navigation software, which, however, could not compete with an inescapable argument: the driver's preference for something he used every day.

In addition, the car recognizes its "owner" as soon as it approaches, opens the doors when it detects the key / card and is ready to go as soon as the driver presses the brake pedal (at the end of the trip it is the same, apply the electric brake , get out of the car, close the doors and that's it).

The toll for using a combustion platform

In this interior it is worth mentioning that it has an airbag to prevent the occupants of the front seats (soft, but with good lateral support) colliding with each other after a side impact; and the huge panoramic roof is provided as standard, which helps alleviate a sense of claustrophobia that the driver could feel the cumulative effect vertical screen of 11.15 ", the protruding edges of the dashboard and the high center tunnel. It It is about a concession to be able to use the CMA platform that equips several models with a combustion engine from the Geely Group (under this tunnel there is a bulky gearbox connected to the engine, although it does not exist here ...).

Something similar is observed in the rear seats, which can accommodate two occupants up to 1.85 m in height without many limitations, while a third will feel tighter and, above all, with the obstruction on the floor that the tunnel generates central, which is also empty because there is no driveshaft and no exhaust system (a criticism shared by the Mercedes EQC, the electric SUV developed from the gasoline-diesel GLC). In this sense, we must praise the space in the foot area, which is more generous than in other electric ones thanks to the use of a two-layer battery (the upper T-shaped and the lower H).

The high position of the transmission selector allows to act as a "wrist rest" for the driver and facilitates touch control of the central display, with which almost everything is activated. From Volvo, in addition to quality, we see few parts: steering wheel, some buttons and little else.

Rear visibility is not a strong point, which is why rear cameras are important. The trunk has 405 liters. They are not many given the size of the car, which has a large tailgate unlike the Tesla 3. This, on the other hand, offers 425 liters plus 117 liters under the front hood (in the Polestar there are only 35 liters in front for little more than charging cables). Two flaws in this cabin: there is no head-up display - something that a customer of a car worth more than 60,000 euros should have - and the panoramic roof should have a curtain for better thermal insulation of the interior, since it is possible that the UV filter may not be enough on warmer days.

With 408 horsepower

In the first year of sales there is only a version that can then be equipped with the so-called Performance Package, which (for an extra 6,000 euros) adds Brembo brakes with yellow calipers (such as seat belts, Ohlins shock absorbers (with manual adjustments in 22 positions), 20-inch wheels and black lacquered roof.

More power? "Maybe in the future, but today battery technology doesn't have the fluidity to deliver more power to electric motors." Although Elon Musk will not agree: his brand gets 287 horsepower from an electric motor, versus 204 from the Swedish model, with a slightly smaller battery, 75 versus 78 kWh). Although of course, since the Polestar 2 has two electric powertrains, in the end it is 408 horsepower and 660 Nm of torque (more than a colossal Nissan GTR, just to put things in perspective) and above the Tesla 3 (639 Nm). As each motor drives an axle, that means we have all-wheel drive, with a torque distribution of 40:60, which can range from a maximum of 100% front or 70% rear when driving faster and / or on roads. and you want a more sporty touch.

Regenerative braking can be calibrated (via the center display) so that it is possible to drive with only one pedal in decelerations of up to 0.3 g, while the hydraulic brakes act above this threshold, but in normal regeneration mode it is not even possible to touch the brake. The transition between the two types of braking has been resolved very well, but the pedal on the left feels a bit spongy most of the time. Mixed sensations also generated by the management, with a correct development (and with three programs), but always a little "artificial".

Good dynamic behavior

Placed under the floor, the lithium-ion battery with 8 years or 160,000 km warranty helps to keep the ride very stable, also contributing to the dry setting of the suspension and the almost even mass distribution between mabos. axes (51% -49%). Although if the car is equipped with the Performance Package and the toughest chassis setup (there are also three preset), the driver will likely want to quickly get back to smoothing it out, unless only driving on pristine asphalt.

The 660 Nm of instantaneous torque is the key to understanding the 4.7 seconds to go from 0 to 100 km / h (one almost forgets that it is 2.1 tons of car), but also for the very impressive recoveries below 120 km / h (although there are no driving modes to vary engine performance, only traction control and steering). The maximum speed is 205 km / h, above what Volvo allows in the future to any of its models, gagged at 180 km / h against the will of many German users, at least those who want an alternative to the Audi A4, Mercedes C and BMW 3 Series that allows them to drive without ecological regrets. Good news: there is no annoying sound of a gasoline engine artificially launched from the speakers, the soundproofing is frankly better than the Tesla 3, and the car responds in a rush to the driver's instructions.

In the future a shorter range 2WD version

The promised range ranges from 470 kilometers (highways / highways) to 560 km (city), less than the Tesla 3, which continues to be the benchmark in this field. The official average consumption is 19.3 kWh / 100 km, and the battery charge can be restored in alternating current (AC) up to 11 kW (on-board charger power) or direct (DC) up to 150 kW, in the latter case allowing to replace up to 80% of the in just 40 minutes (in the countries where they exist ...). The AC on-board charger charges at 11 kW (3-phase, 0 to 100% up to 8 hours) or 3 kW (single-phase, 0 to 100% up to 22 hours) from a household outlet.

There is still no date for Polestar to arrive in Spain, which will not happen before 2022-2022). The 2 has the potential to steal some of the Tesla 3's growing sales, standing at around € 65,000 with the Performance Pack, but is expected to drop to € 40,000 with a smaller battery variant and front-wheel drive only, which will expand the performance. spectrum of customers. That's when the rivalry with Tesla will become even clearer and many of the customers won't hesitate to give up a bit of autonomy in exchange for the sharply superior overall quality. A duel that will have the next chapter in two years, when the Swedish brand presents an electric SUV to rival the Model X.

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