Volvo unveils Polestar 2 electric sedan ahead of 2020 debut

Stylish bodywork cloaking powerful motors and classy technology could make the Polestar 2 an electrifying class leader.

Volvo has unveiled its Polestar 2 ahead of a public debut in Geneva.

Volvo’s dedicated electric car arm has unveiled a four-door sedan to rival the coming Tesla Model 3.

Set to make its debut at the Geneva motor show next week, the Polestar 2 electric sedan follows a handsome coupe sold in a handful of left-hand-drive markets.

The machine features clean lines with links to Volvo’s conventionally powered S60 and S90 sedans.

But motivation comes from a pair of electric motors producing 300kW and 660Nm — enough to propel it from rest to 100km/h in less than five seconds. A 78kWh battery provides range of about 500km and Volvo promises to establish “strategic collaborations to give Polestar 2 owners easy and hassle-free access to the world’s largest public charging networks”.

Volvo’s Polestar 2 is tipped to reach Australia in 2020.

Enthusiasts will be happy to know that high-performance Ohlins dampers and Brembo brakes are tucked away behind glamorous 20-inch wheels.

Other tech includes active LED headlights, the opportunity for drivers to use their smartphone as the car’s key, and a new Android-powered 11-inch infotainment screen with Google Maps and other features backed by the American tech giant. Don’t be surprised to find seamless synching with Gmail, calendar apps and other services.

Polestar brings a large, portrait-oriented display screen, as in the Tesla Model S.

Naturally, Polestar will benefit from Volvo’s full suite of advanced safety features.

The European launch edition is pitched as a premium model and priced from €59,900 ($95,400), which is a little more than the German asking price of the BMW 530e hybrid sedan ($109,990 in Australia). This suggests a $100,000 price tag on arrival next year.

Less opulent examples will sell for €39,900 ($63,500) in Australia, pitching it close to the anticipated price of the cheapest examples of Tesla’s Model 3.

Polestar chief executive Thomas Ingenlath says: “Polestar 2 is our first fully electric car and first volume model. Everything about it has been designed and engineered with passion and dedication.

“As an electric performance brand, and through the forthcoming launch of a portfolio of fully electric cars, Polestar is determined to address the world’s air quality challenges.

“Polestar delivers electric performance cars that are great to own and drive.”

The Polestar 2 will sell alongside coupe and SUV models in European showrooms.

The brand’s official line is that the Polestar 2’s initial launches will be limited to China, the United States, Canada and parts of Europe including the UK, with other markets “under consideration for future expansion”.

Last year, Volvo Australia managing director Nick Connor told industry journal GoAuto that the Polestar 2 would reach Australia in 2020.