Polestar announced formal pricing Thursday for its newest model, the 2021 Polestar 2. This four-door sedan is slated to take on the Tesla Model 3 in the all-electric arena, with prices starting from $59,900 in the U.S. Factor in destination charges, and that will set you back a little over $60,000 before incentives.
The key word there, and one of the main motivations for Polestar’s pricing strategy, is “incentives”. Pricing it just below $60,000 opens the car up for California’s $2,000 rebate (it would have been excluded if the price was any higher). It’s also eligible for the federal government’s $7,500 tax credit, meaning buyers could get into a Polestar 2 for closer to $50,000, depending on whether there are any add-on options.
Polestar also laid out the pricing scheme for those options, starting with $1,200 for a metallic paint color. Another $1,200 nets you larger 20-inch alloy wheels (up from 19 inches), and a Nappa leather interior will set you back $4,000.
Buyers can also spec a $5,000 Performance Package, which adds Öhlins performance dampers, Brembo brakes, 20-inch forged alloy wheels, a high-gloss black roof, and gold seat belts as well as gold valve caps. Unlike Tesla’s Performance Upgrade, however, it does not seem that Polestar’s option gives you a higher top speed or a bespoke track mode.
On the power front, the 2021 Polestar 2 will arrive this summer with 408 horsepower and 487 lb-ft of torque. All-wheel drive is a standard feature, as is a 78-kWh battery pack. Polestar pegs the range at 275 miles, which comes up a bit shorter than the 75-kWh Tesla Model 3 Long Range’s 322 miles. Although, the story may change for the better in real-world conditions, as it has with the Porsche Taycan 4S and Mini Cooper SE getting well above their quoted range figures. 0-60 times are also a question mark, though the 2021 Polestar 2 should do well thanks to the electric powertrain and all-wheel drive system.
Polestar will have its own showrooms
Although the electric brand is a Volvo spinoff, U.S. reservation holders won’t have to trek to a Volvo dealership. The company plans to open 15 retail showrooms (dubbed “Polestar Spaces”) across the country starting this summer. The first locations will open on the west coast and in New York, with more to follow from there. Regardless of whether you go into a showroom to take delivery, cash sales are open to customers in all 50 states. Polestar says that it plans to announce leasing and retail finance options for the Polestar 2 in the near future.
