Polestar 2 EV arrives with high-tech design tweaks and more power

KUALA LUMPUR: The five-door electric performance fastback, the Polestar 2, has received a major update for 2024. In the latest form, the compact EV boasts a new high-tech face, substantially increased performance, more powerful batteries, and most importantly, a rear-wheel drive system.

The automaker claimed the new Polestar 2 as the “best looking one” thanks to the updated front design which now features a SmartZone. Reflecting the high-tech nature of the EV, this new zone incorporates some of the most important active safety features it equips, including the front-facing camera and mid-range radar.

Also part of the upgraded kit are new 20-inch forged alloy wheels offered with the Performance Pack.

“Typically in the car industry, a facelift introduces superficial visual changes that often destroy the original intention of the car’s design theme. With the new model year Polestar 2, we rather went below the surface and upgraded substantial-tech and mechanical components of the electric drivetrain,” says Polestar CEO, Thomas Ingenlath.

With that said, the 2024 Polestar 2 gains the following mechanical upgrades -

• The base variant of the EV now comes with a rear-wheel drive system paired with a new single-motor setup delivering a maximum power of 299 hp and a peak torque of 489 Nm. Compared to the previous front-wheel version, the output figures see a substantial bump of 68 hp and 160 Nm

• The dual-motor versions also get the new motors and a newfound rear-drive bias, which increased the total output to 421 hp and 740 Nm.
• Another crucial update came in the form of new lithium-ion batteries, the long-range variants benefit from an 82 kWh unit while the base, standard-range trim gets a 69 kWh unit
• The long-range models now run for 635 km (up by 84 km) on a single charge, whereas the standard-range trims deliver 518 km with an increase of 40 km 
• The quicker charging rates of up to 205 kW DC are also offered with the long-range batteries

Also new for 2024 is a wireless phone charging pad, auto-dimming side mirrors, side parking sensors, and a surround-view camera. The Blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert are now available as standard.

In the European markets, the deliveries of the all-new 2024 Polestar 2 EV are likely to begin in the third quarter of the year at a starting price of EUR 50,190 (approximately equal to RM 233,767).

Also read: Polestar’s first SUV makes global debut, the Polestar 3