SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – If it looks like it’s gone in a flash, it is. And we’re not talking about what Polestar 1 must have looked like an elk that existed when it was thinking of its own business along a mountain road in the Los Padres National Forest. The firstThe entire life cycle of the car is only three years long, half the length of a conventional car. When all is said and done, Polestar Will sell a handful of 1,500 pieces worldwide, making for a sleek look dip into the mixture grand tourer one of the rarest modern cars you will ever see in the wild.
In fact, during our farewell drive with Polestar 1 in Southern California, we were stopped a few times by curious observers. You and Lambos as abundant as pigeons in this region, but Polestar is a golden pheasant. “When does it come out?” one viewer asked.
Well, to be precise… It’s been on the market for three years, and Polestar says its stock numbers are in the tens. Final North American units will ship in Q1 2022 and you can’t place custom orders color anymore. That’s probably fine, too, because the only option on the Polestar 1 is a $5,000 matte paint, and matte paint, like in 2010.
Polestar was never meant to let its flagship last more than three years. Production is always limited to 500 pieces a year. Moreover, at the time of release 1, which launched Polestar as an independent brand, it was decided from the outset that all subsequent models would be completely electric.
Transparent Our second drive of the Polestar 1, Senior Editor John Beltz Snyder concludes that a battery-powered car, Polestar 2, makes more sense to buy. That can be true when all you’re doing is commuting around town or your highway journeys are limited to the states. However, I would argue that once you venture outside the network of charging stations, the plug-in hybrid makes much more sense.
One of the most memorable rides I’ve ever been on was in a five-speed factory 1997 Lexus SC, an excellent major traveller if any. I have a week to go from Washington DC to Los Angeles, and aside from visits with friends in Chicago and Des Moines, there are no routes, no itineraries, no plans. I can stick to the states if I so choose, or meander the desolate paths to see the 140-million-year-old sandstone formations at Arches National Park or the world’s largest quarter.
This ride of the Polestar 1 recalls that ride, but on a smaller scale. Ojai’s northwest are some of the best in a state lauded for its great roads – two-lane riders crisscross the mountains, a plume of asphalt cuts across the desert landscape – but multiple cuts through dead cells signal dead zones where you don’t see a companion, or the gas station, miles away.
We’re not much of a pickpocket when it comes to range anxiety, but on an extended hike with ardent driving between flights, it’s still practically an EV with even 250 or 300 mile range won’t do. The Polestar 1 achieves 21 mpg in the city, 31 on the highway and 25 combined without the full electric range being counted. With it, it’s estimated to be up to a relatively hefty 60 MPGe. Combined with a 15.9-gallon capacity, range is something you’ll never have to worry about.
Despite hitting the gas at almost every opportunity, there was still half a tank of gas left after five hours of driving. That’s where PHEV technology really shines, and something both traditional combustion and electric-only vehicles can match.
On paper, an Audi eTron GT has an estimated EPA range of 232 miles. But if you drive it anywhere as close as the car invites you to go, your actual range will be around 70%. The purpose of a grand tourer is to carry you long distances in luxury and comfort, and thinking whether you want to waste juice every time you step on the gas is neither elegant nor comfortable.
With the Polestar 1, you can drive all day without thinking about the fuel gauge. Want to pass a slow-moving pickup at the next yellow line? Switch it into Power mode for a total of 619 horsepower and 738 pound-feet of torque – drawn together from a combination of the supercharged 2.0-liter inline-four and 326 horsepower. front-wheel drive, two electric motors in the rear and a 71-horsepower starter generator mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission. It’s complicated, but it all works seamlessly in symphonic harmony.
As an additional note, North American spec cars are the only ones to get this number. Elsewhere in the world, emissions The rule has cut the total strength of 10 ponies.
On the days when you just need to go to Trader Joe’s to buy a jar of pickles, keep it on battery-only Pure and you’ll be as green as an Audi driver. The Polestar 1 can run an estimated 52 miles (within EV range without a drop of fuel. Charge the battery can be done via an 11 kilowatt phase 1 or 3 AC outlet, or if you’re in a hurry, 50 kW DC induction takes less than an hour. Polestar also ensures that the cobalt used in the 400-volt, 34 kWh battery pack is responsibly mined.
Because the Polestar 1 drives the front wheels with an ICE hybrid and the rear wheels with two rear electric motors, its AWD system can use torque vectoring, which helps the outer rear wheels spin further in turn for grip. super crab. Even on a pass consisting only of back-straps, it held the Polestar’s considerable mass on tight hairpins with ease. Akebono block aluminum brake calipers, six-piston in front and four-piston in rear, continuously rub the speed of the 5,170-pound coupe without fading. Öhlins’ dual-flow valve train damper, combined with a low center of gravity, means the bodywork is practically non-existent and it’s manually adjusted dial-in for comfort.
But no matter how good brake and suspend, there are errors. Polestar’s weight is still known. Steering, as precisely as it could be, lacked feedback. The suspension, damped to gracefully absorb any road imperfections, conceals the tiny messages the asphalt is trying to convey. The width of the luxurious bodywork makes it uncomfortably close to the edge of winding mountain roads. Plus, like many modern high-end cars, it has such uncanny powers that it seems almost robot. There can be a bit of emotion during the drive.
Whatever Polestar does, it does it with style. Yes, it’s really a shortened, two-door cửa Volvo S90, but it’s still a great design, penned with what so many traditional luxury brands are lacking today: restraint.
Inside, Scandinavian minimalism can feel a little chilly to some luxury shoppers, and the design, technology, and switchgear are undeniably nearly identical to what you’ll find. found in one S90. That could make, or rather, make the Polestar 1’s $155,000 asking price a tough sell. However, the leather seats maintain their comfort and support even after hours, and the company says there’s no waste to the animal at the end of its lifespan, if that’s the case. what consolation. A few nice features like the crystal gear selector and the projection of the Polestar logo on the panoramic roof add to the luxury, but not the luxury.
These fallacies don’t make us sadder that the world won’t have much more of a beautiful coupe built with the driver in mind. Polestar’s 2025 plan does not include a direct successor to 1. Instead, two intersect and a Taycan Challengers await, all pure electricity.
Conventional wisdom has decided PHEV is a “transitional” technology, no doubt, aided by the wave of all-electric cars that are hitting the market in a big way. However, the Polestar 1 is proof that PHEVs still have their place – now and in the future. Even as electric vehicles take over, long-distance cars – whether off-road vehicles or sleek long-distance GTs – are a niche that PHEVs still enjoy. may shine for many years to come. It’s sad that Polestar is pulling the plug on them after just three.
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