Polestar has revealed its coupe-style electric SUV at the Shanghai Auto Show, and unsurprisingly, the Polestar 4 turns heads with plenty of power. It also has a rather bold design option – there is no rear window, so the driver’s rear view is provided by a camera. The idea is to create “a new type of immersive experience for rear occupants,” the company wrote in an announcement post for the new EV.
It’s the company’s second SUV after the larger Polestar 3, which goes on sale this year, and larger than the Polestar 2 sedan. With a big 102kWh battery, it has a target range of more than 300 miles and a price Starting at $60,000, with all-wheel drive and rear-wheel drive versions. It will go on sale in China at the end of the year and will launch in North America in 2024.
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Design-wise, the Polestar 4 has a sleek and sporty (for an SUV) design broken up by subtle body panel creases and slightly bulging fenders. The lack of a rear window is an odd decision, as it will make the interior feel a bit… stuffy. However, there is a standard full-length glass roof with optional electrochromic functionality allowing for opaque or transparent use. To bring in a bit more light, it also extends below the heads of the rear occupants.
A high-definition screen at the front shows the view from the rear camera. Polestar says it allows for “a much wider field of vision than can be experienced in most other cars.” Hopefully the company has some sort of backup system in place, because if the screen or camera goes down, drivers will have a massive blind spot behind them.
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The Polestar 4 is based on Geely’s open source sustainable experience architecture. It won’t have a third row like some Tesla Model Y variants, so the company promises “generous interior proportions” for front and rear seat passengers. The interior and materials were inspired by the fashion and sportswear industries, Polestar wrote.
For an SUV, it will go fast. The 544-horsepower model will get you from zero to 62 MPH in 3.8 seconds, for starters. Polestar will also offer a 272 HP long range single engine version. The optional 102kWh battery has a target range of 560km (348 miles) on the WLTP cycle, or around 300 miles in EPA terms. And charging should be fast, with fast charging up to 200kW that should allow about 800 miles of charging per hour.
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Like the Polestar 3, the 4’s driver assistance system (ADAS) will run NVIDIA’s Drive computing platform, using 12 cameras, a radar and 12 ultrasonic sensors. One of those cameras is dedicated to monitoring the driver’s head and eye movements to warn him of fatigue or incapacitation.
A 10.2-inch instrument cluster and 14.7-inch head-up display (HUD) show speed, drive mode, turn-by-turn directions and more. The infotainment system is powered by Android Auto fitted to a 15.4-inch center screen, with Apple CarPlay available as well. A Harman Kardon audio system with 12 speakers and a 1400-watt hybrid channel amplifier is offered as an option.
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As mentioned, the “indicative launch price” starts at $60,000 in the US, with availability scheduled for 2024. No current Polestar models qualify for the $7,500 US tax credit. After the latest rules went into effect, only six electric vehicles still qualified for the full credit.
The company has yet to announce details about production in North America. But if the company wants to qualify for the $7,500 tax credit, it will need to assemble it in North America and figure out a supply chain that is independent of China.
