If you just bought a 2023 Polestar 2, hoooo boy are you about to be mad. The company on Tuesday showed off some of the, ahem, numerous updates that the upcoming 2024 model year PS2 will sport, including next-generation motors, a slew of new standard equipment, a more potent battery pack and the SmartZone sensor suite first teased on the Polestar 3. Also, the previously front-wheel drive single motor Polestar 2 — that’s RWD now, so let the drifting begin!
The Polestar 2 is now a fully RWD platform for the single-motor variant that arrived in March. It uses newly devised permanent magnet motor and silicon carbide inverter technologies to increase the horsepower output from 231 to 299 hp. Torque similarly jumps from 243 lb-ft to 361, putting it in line with the Tesla Model 3’s output, while the 0-60 figure drops more than a full second compared to the old motor, to 5.9 seconds.
The dual-motor AWD version will see equivalent performance gains — 421 hp and 546 lb-ft, up from 408 hp and 467 lb-ft — as well as improved traction and a 0-60 of 4.3 seconds. Opt for the 2024 Performance pack and the horsepower jumps to 455 and the 0-60 drops to 4.1 seconds. The powertrain and torque ratios in the dual-motor version have been given a rear-wheel bias and, when the extra performance of AWD isn’t necessary, the second (front) motor can be disengaged to improve efficiency and range (using the larger battery of 82 kWh) up to 300 miles, a 10 percent increase.
The PS2’s battery is receiving some slight chemistry tweaks as well. It to now offer a max 205kW charge rate while requiring 1.1 fewer tons of carbon emissions to produce — now just 5.9 tons per battery pack! Note however that this specifically applies to the Long Range single motor variant, the dual-motors both are stuck with the existing 78 kWh packs charging at 155 kW.
“Changing from front- to rear-wheel drive in the single-motor variants, and re-calibrating the torque ratio in the dual-motor variant for an increased rear-wheel drive feel, elevates the Polestar 2 driving experience to a whole new level,” Joakim Rydholm, Head of Chassis Development, said in a press release. “The updated Polestar 2 is an even more playful and agile car, retaining its compactness and complete sense of control, while at the same time becoming more mature with added comfort.”
Next year’s PS2 will be quite a bit smarter than its predecessor thanks to tech first shown off by its successor, the PS3. Polestar’s SmartZone, mounted in the vehicle’s vestigial front grille, houses an improved mid-range radar array and front-facing camera. A number of ADAS systems will come standard as well. For example, the Pilot Pack (which includes the 360-degree camera, parking assist and adaptive cruise control) will now come standard on the long-range dual motor PS2, while every trim level will get wireless device charging. And for folks that purchase the Performance package (Brembo brakes, 20-inch rims and a performance software upgrade) will receive the Plus package (Harmon Kardon stereo, panoramic glass roof, air quality software that sounds like something everyone should get just like the device charging) for no additional cost. Deliveries are expected to begin later this year and Polestar’s online order window has already opened.
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