Days after it announced plans to go public, Polestar shed light on how it will expand its range during the 2020s. One of the new models it detailed is an electric crossover with a fastback-like roof line that will land in one of the most competitive segments of the EV world.
Tentatively called 4, the model will somewhat confusingly be positioned between the 3 — which is due out as a Porsche Cayenne-sized SUV in 2022 — and the 2 sedan, which will temporarily become the only car in the company’s range once production of the 1 ends in late 2021. Executives might have decided that Polestar 3.5 has less of a ring to it than Polestar 4. Regardless, it will be positioned as a taller, more spacious alternative to the 2, according to Auto Express, so it could compete in the same arena as the Audi Q4 E-Tron.
“Like with the 2, we don’t want to make the Polestar brand a brand that is not accessible for a big, big part of the population, so for that reason we have a second SUV in the pipeline,” explained company boss Thomas Ingenlath in an interview with Auto Express. Pricing for the 4 will start at approximately €45,000 in Europe, which represents around $52,700, though the conversion is never that straightforward.
He added that the 4 will be sportier than the 3, presumably both in terms of design and in terms of driving dynamics. It will be smaller, too, but it will offer a relatively spacious cabin in spite of its swoopy design. While the model hasn’t been unveiled yet, it was previewed in an image that the firm published (shown above) after announcing its IPO to provide a look at its future line-up; it’s the second car from the left.
Auto Express speculates that the 4 will ride on a platform called SEA, which is related to the PMA architecture developed by China-based parent company Geely. If that’s accurate, the 4 will become the first Polestar model not built on Volvo bones. The 1 is on the same Scalable Production Architecture (SPA) platform as numerous Volvo models, including the current-generation XC90. The 3 will reportedly ride on the next evolution of this architecture, while the 2 is built on the same basic Compact Modular Architecture (CMA) as the XC40 and the C40.
Polestar hopes branching out into more mainstream segments will allow it to significantly increase its annual sales in the coming years. It has sold about 29,000 cars globally during the first nine months of 2021; it’s planning to reach the 290,000-unit mark in 2025. While the 4 due out in 2023 will undoubtedly represent the bulk of sales, it will be joined by a sedan called 5 and previewed by the Precept concept.
Related video: