Polestar 2’s EPA-rated range falls shy of targets
EPA ratings for the 2021 Polestar 2 are in, and the range for the all-electric tall hatchback-thingy comes in under the budding brand’s previously-indicated goal. Polestar had previously said that 275 miles was its target range, although, as of our test drive this summer, the brand expected an EPA rating around 250 miles. The final EPA number: 233 miles.
That 233-mile range comes in under that of the base Tesla Model 3—the Standard Range Plus with rear-wheel drive and 18-inch wheels—which is rated for 250 miles. (Long Range AWD models have 322 miles of range, while the Performance AWD models have 299 miles.) The Model Y Long Range is rated for 316 miles, versus 291 miles for the Performance.
The Polestar 2 Launch Edition, the first model hitting showrooms now (and recently recalled) in Europe and China, uses a 78-kWh LG Chem lithium-ion battery and a 204-hp electric motor on each axle for a total of 408 hp and 487 lb-ft of torque.
“275 miles was always the target for our engineering team,” said Polestar spokesperson J.P. Canton. “While we do not offer 275 miles with the Launch Edition, future variants of the Polestar 2 will be available with different range and powertrain options.”
We also expect that these future variants will be lower priced than the $61,000 Launch Edition, with other Polestar 2 flavors arriving at around $45,000 in late 2021.
