The EPA has officially revealed the range estimates for the 2022 Polestar 2 single-motor. At 270 miles per charge, that’s 21 miles more than the dual-motor car, which is good for 249 miles. That’s also more than the Tesla Model 3 Standard Range, which is good for 263 miles. However, the Long Range and Performance dual-motor versions of the Model 3 still travel farther at 353 and 315 miles respectively. The Polestar 2 single-motor is less powerful at 231 hp and 243 lb-ft of torque.
Other than the Tesla Model 3, there are no other direct competitors to the 2022 Polestar 2 that have a sedan or hatchback body style. The rest of its closest competitive set are crossovers, many of which have similar or more range. New entrants like the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Kia EV6, for example, are rated at 303 and 310 miles respectively in single-motor guise. Their dual-motor variants are good for 256 and 274 miles per charge while offering more power and torque than the single-motor Polestar 2.
Ford’s Mustang Mach-E with the extended range battery is also rated higher than both versions of the Polestar 2. The Premium model is good for 300 miles in RWD guise or 270 miles in dual-motor AWD configuration. California Route 1 Edition versions are rated at 305 miles in RWD flavor or 300 miles with AWD. Tesla’s Model Y travels farther per charge in Long Range and Performance configurations at 326 and 303 miles respectively. The recently discontinued Model Y Standard Range was good for 244 miles.
Compared to the other vehicles on Volvo Car Group’s CMA platform, the Polestar 2 has the most range. The Volvo XC40 Recharge is rated at 223 miles per charge while its coupe-like sibling, the C40 Recharge, is good for 226 miles. That’s lower by 26 and 23 miles respectively versus the dual-motor Polestar 2. Versus the single-motor car, the XC40 Recharge is rated 47 miles less while the C40 Recharge is down 44 miles. However, both of Volvo’s EVs have 402 hp and 487 lb-ft since they’re only offered in dual-motor configuration in the U.S.
Alongside the announcement of the final EPA ratings for the single-motor variant, Polestar also confirmed that the power upgrade for the dual-motor model is coming to North America. Currently, the dual-motor Polestar 2 is good for 408 hp and 487 lb-ft. Purchasing the software for the power upgrade bumps the output to 476 hp and 502 lb-ft. Once a customer buys the upgrade, it will be delivered to their vehicle via an over-the-air (OTA) update. Pricing will be announced in the coming months, according to Polestar.
Thanks to a series of OTA updates, the Polestar 2 gets many new features and improvements over time. The 2021 dual-motor, for instance, gets the same 249-mile range as the 2022 cars thanks to these software upgrades. A recent package called P1.7 for both variants that arrived over the air between Sept. and Oct. may have also increased the Polestar 2’s range again. It gave the car stronger regenerative braking, the ability to use surplus heat to bring the battery to proper operating conditions, and added an Eco mode for the climate controls.
A new OTA update dubbed P1.8 followed less than two months after P1.7. This improved the Polestar 2’s lane-keeping and centering functions and the radar sensor used for adaptive cruise control and the Pilot Assist semi-autonomous system. Additionally, it can optimize its battery temperature preconditioning when plugged in and can better detect your mobile device for the digital key function.
Expect more updates to come as Polestar continues to upgrade its first all-electric model through the years. The single-motor version should get closer to the magic 300-mile mark as it gets the latest software. Dual-motor models will likely end up having the same range that the single-motor car currently has as it gets updates in the future.
