Polestar 3 goes on sale for £79,900 (gallery)

Polestar has launched its second fully electric model, the Polestar 3, which is available to order online now for £79,900

The new SUV has a WLTP range of 379 miles, courtesy of a 111kWh battery pack. It will enter the premium end of the market, alongside cars like the Audi e-tron and BMW iX.

From launch, the Polestar 3 is available with a dual-motor configuration, with a power bias towards the rear. The standard car produces a total of 489PS and 840Nm. With the optional Performance Pack, total output is 516PS and 910Nm.

The car can accelerate from 0-62mph in five seconds, or 4.7 seconds if equipped with the performance pack.

Adjustable one-pedal drive is included, as well as an electric Torque Vectoring Dual Clutch function on the rear axle. A decoupling function is also available for the rear electric motor, allowing the car to run only on the front electric motor to save energy under certain circumstances.

The list of standard equipment on the Polestar 3 is extensive, with only a few options for simplified configuration and production. All versions include air suspension, a full-length panoramic glass roof, all-LED lighting inside and out, retractable door handles with proximity sensing, and 21-inch alloy wheels.

The Plus Pack and Pilot Pack are fitted as standard for the first model year and include a raft of extra features like a 25-speaker audio system from Bowers & Wilkins, soft-closing doors, a head-up display and Pilot Assist.

The Performance Pack, which includes 22-inch wheels, bumps the price to £85,500.

The SUV will begin production in early 2023 and will be built alongside the new Volvo XC90.

Polestar said the new car will, over time, offer autonomous highway piloting powered by a LiDAR sensor from Luminar and centralized NVIDIA computing power.

“Polestar 3 is the SUV for the electric age. Our design identity evolves with this high-end large luxury EV, with a strong, individual brand character,” said Thomas Ingenlath, Polestar CEO. “With this car, we bring the ‘sport’ back to the SUV, staying true to our performance roots.

“This is a major milestone for our company, one that boosts our growth trajectory and takes us into our next phase.”

Polestar grew its revenues 95% and registrations by 123% during the first half of 2022 – despite having only one-model in its range.

The Geely-owned brand, which floated on the New York Stock Exchange in June, has reported revenues of $1.04 billion in the first six months of 2022, up 95% year-over-year as its car sales accelerated from 9,510 to 21,185.

But while Polestar’s gross profit rose 49% to $53.4m, it posted an operating loss of $885.2m as its cost of listing topped $372.3m and its cost of sales swelled by 95% to $987.9m in the period.

Following the opening of Paul Rigby’s new Polestar Space in Birmingham earlier this year, the brand is set to expand its small network of UK Polestar Space showrooms to four this autumn.