The Polestar2 electric car is not a household name yet.
But Volvo, it's world famous Swedish parent, does give its new luxury electric vehicle offspring, Polestar2, a pedigree start.
It needs it- to take on Tesla Model 3, the best-selling electric car in America, there is some serious catching up to do.
Starting now, as the first models arrive in the US from Polestar’s manufacturing facility in China.
Polestar 2 is not just any EV. It’s the first electric car to have a brain powered by Google. The Android Automotive operating system controls everything from the radio to heating and air conditioning to navigation.
It is great to drive. The Polestar 2’s electric motors are highly capable at delivering power with subtlety and ease. There’s nothing jerky about the acceleration, just smooth refinement. The car grips the road and the steering feels precise. The central touchscreen is large and easy to navigate, creating a user experience that felt intuitive but not distracting.
The advanced driver assist system was no Tesla Autopilot, but it does the job.
The specs of the Polestar 2 are well-reported — but here’s a refresher -
78kWh battery pack
291 miles (470 kilometres) of range
408 horsepower
0 to 60 mph in under 5 seconds
Starts at $59,900 (though Polestar has said it wants to eventually sell a $40,000 version)
The lighting scheme is very cool. There are “Thor’s hammer” front headlights that are common across Volvo’s line-up. In the rear, the full-width wrap around LED lights are reminiscent of KITT from Knight Rider.
The Polestar 2’s interior, is comfortably sparse and 100 percent vegan, with no animal products used.
The car has vegan textiles, though a Nappa leather option is available. Beyond that, you can add a performance package, metallic paint, and 20-inch rims. That’s as much configuration tinkering Polestar will allow.
Volvo’s Polestar 2 with Android Automotive is how all car software should be designed
The Polestar 2 has a key — a chunky looking fob, made irrelevant because the car can be turned on with your phone. Once seated, close the door, press the brake pedal, and click the gear shift to the desired direction.
When the weather demands full attention, having a voice-command system is handy. And Google Assistant, which is built into the Polestar 2, is as good as it gets.
“Hey Google, play The Ramones.”
Android Automotive System is very impressive. The voice recognition is excellent, Voice commands in most vehicles are ordinary, because car companies lack the level of computing technology that tech giants Amazon and Google command.
Having the virtual assistant at beck-and-call while driving the Polestar 2 is incredibly useful for navigation, tinkering with the HVAC, music selection and more.
Voice recognition is more than a novelty. It can reduce driver distraction. Being able to toggle by voice between - directions, temperature, and Spotify - while keeping your eyes on the road, makes for better driving.
Polestar’s Android operating system won't quite do everything for you --it can’t adjust the bass or treble - and it has terrible taste in jokes -
“How do you make a tissue dance,” Google Assistant said, after I asked it to make me laugh - “Put a little boogie in it.” - Ugh!
Fortunately, the experience of driving the Polestar 2 more than made up for its corny voice assistant jokes.
I found it to be one of the best EVs I’ve ever driven.
The Polestar 2 is fast, it holds the road, and it feels well built with enough technology to impress without overwhelming.
“Hey Google, when can I drive this car again?”
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This article summarised and shared by @ijavee