“/>Picture credits: The North Star
Polestar introduced the Polestar 4, the second SUV in its lineup, at Auto Shanghai 2023. In fact, it’s technically a coupe SUV, which means it has the space and four doors of a SUV, but the sloping roof and the aerodynamics of a coupe.
The Polestar 4 has plenty of head-turning new specs, but the boldest design choice has to be the lack of a mirror. Instead, drivers will watch their cab screens when reversing, which will show a real-time feed from a roof-mounted rear camera.
The Volvo spin-off says this gives the driver a wider field of vision than they would get just looking out the rear window. It is also linked to giving some drivers anxiety. What happens if a rock breaks that camera or the stream freezes and stops working? No rear window means no backup in case of technical challenges, so Polestar must be quite confident in what it brings to the streets.
The company says there is design justification for the decision to remove the rear window and it was first tested with the Polestar Precept concept car.
“With Polestar Precept, we previewed a stunning new occupant experience by removing the rear window and pushing the read header, which plays an integral safety role, further back,” said Maximilian Missoni, Head of of design at Polestar, in a press release. “This means that now rear occupants can have a unique experience in our SUV coupe.”
The elimination of the rear window also allows for a long glass roof that extends beyond the heads of the rear occupants. The glass roof can have electrochromic functionality or smart glass, which can change to be transparent or opaque depending on the needs of the occupants.
The Polestar 4 has the space of an SUV and the sloping roof of a coupe. Picture credits: The North Star
From the outside, the car has speed. The door handles are retractable and the frameless windows are flush with the body of the car. The low nose gives it the aerodynamics to make it the fastest production model Polestar has ever produced – it can go from 0 to 60 miles per hour in 3.8 seconds and has a maximum power of 544 hp.
The Polestar 4 will be available in two- and single-motor versions. The twin-motor version will have semi-active suspension characteristics in order to achieve sporty performance without sacrificing comfort.
Both long range versions will come with a 102kWh battery and the dual motor has a target range of 350 miles. All versions benefit from up to 200 kW DC and 22 kW AC charging, and bi-directional charging is also included for vehicle-to-charge capabilities.
The Polestar 4 will first launch in China, with production scheduled for November 2023 for a Geely-owned production facility in Hangzhou Bay that runs on renewable energy.
Polestar plans to launch in other markets, including Europe, North America and Asia-Pacific, in early 2024.
The Polestar 4 will be priced between the 2 and 3 at around $60,000.
Technical specifications of the Polestar 4
Drivers can access the Polestar 4’s intelligent infotainment system, Apple CarPlay and Google products through a 15.4-inch screen. Picture credits: The North Star
Like all of today’s new electric vehicles, the Polestar 4 is packed with technology and slowly moving towards that out-of-reach goal of an “autonomous future”.
The car’s infotainment system is powered by Android Automotive OS and Qualcomm’s Snapdragon Cockpit platform, accessed via a 15.4-inch screen up front.
Apple CarPlay is included and Google is integrated, including Google Assistant, Maps and Play. So drivers can say things like “Hey Google, take me to the nearest charging station” or “Hey Google, play ‘Despacito'” and directions or melodies will stream out of the Harman Kardon sound system, which is available as a 12-speaker option.
There’s also a secondary media and climate control screen mounted between the front seats for rear occupants to play with.
But wait! There is more! Screens, that is. There are more screens, because we don’t already have enough screens in our lives.
A 10.2-inch driver display is mounted in front of the steering wheel and displays information on speed, battery and range. It can also show you other road users, current driver assistance functions and navigation information. If that’s too distracting, there’s also a head-up display (which is basically a screen on your windshield) with a 14.7-inch projection area that gives the driver “key vehicle information, telephony and navigation,” according to Polestar. When it snows, the HUD text color changes from white to yellow to improve visibility.
Polestar uses Mobileye’s SuperVision advanced driver assistance system (ADAS), which relies on 12 cameras, radar and 12 ultrasonic sensors. Owners can pay extra for the Pilot Pack, which includes lane change assistance.
To ensure the driver doesn’t rely too heavily on ADAS or fall asleep at the wheel, the Polestar 4 includes a Driver Monitoring Camera that monitors the driver’s eyes and head movements. That and convenient sensing in the steering wheel keeps the driver actively engaged.