Polestar 3 with rear-wheel drive surprises with 438 miles WLTP range

The Polestar 3 can travel up to 438 miles in one go according to the WLTP standard. This has now been officially announced by the Swedish manufacturer. Previously, there were only certified values for the two all-wheel drive models, while only an approximate value of 403 miles was known for the basic version with rear-wheel drive. So 438 instead of 403 miles: no cause for anger, but for a model overview.

The Polestar 3 is a 4.90 metre long electric SUV that is technically closely related to the Volvo EX90. Both are based on the Scalable Product Architecture II and so the wheelbase is also identical. However, the body shape of the Polestar is more aerodynamic and coupé-like. The height of 1.61 metres is also significantly lower than the 1.74 metre high EX90. The logical disadvantage of the sloping roof line towards the rear is the smaller boot: the Polestar 3 offers 484 to 1,411 litres, while the EX90 has 365 to 1,915 litres; both models also have a frunk.   

Drives and versions

Two all-wheel drive models of the Polestar 3 were announced at the launch. However, a rear-wheel drive model with 299 PS was surprisingly added in July 2024. The range was given as 403 miles, the power consumption as 3.10-3.28 mi/kWh. Now there are official WLTP values that are much better. The car is now one of the top ten electric cars with the longest range: with a range of 438 miles, the model is in fifth place, ahead of the Mercedes EQS 450+ SUV, which has now dropped to 432 miles. The power consumption of 3.53 mi/kWh is also low for the class.

The cheaper of the two all-wheel drive models is called Long Range Dual Motor and offers 489 PS. With a Performance Pack, the system output increases to 517 PS - but presumably only for a short time, because even with the package, only two 245 PS motors are installed. The drive is provided exclusively by permanent magnet synchronous motors (PSM).

According to Polestar, the all-wheel drive models are designed to be rear-biased in favour of driving dynamics. Active torque vectoring is also possible here via two clutches on the rear axle. To save power, the rear axle can be decoupled via the clutch when full power is not required. The Polestar 3 then becomes a front-wheel drive vehicle. This is unusual, as the front axle is normally decoupled.

Gallery: Polestar 3 Performance (2024) first drive

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Source: Polestar

Battery and charging

All variants of the Polestar 3 have the same battery with a gross capacity of 111 kWh, while the net capacity is 107 kWh. The battery is made up of 17 modules. The prismatic cells with NMC chemistry (nickel, manganese, cobalt) come from the Chinese manufacturer CATL. According to unofficial information, the battery configuration is 102s2p.

That would mean: The battery consists of 204 cells. Assuming that all modules are the same, this would result in 12 cells per module. Half of the cells are connected in series, resulting in a voltage of around 370 to 380 volts, meaning the car has 400-volt technology. The battery has liquid cooling and a heat pump is on board as standard. 

Originally it was said that the car could be charged with up to 250 kW, which is hardly possible with a 400-volt system, as the CCS interface is limited to 500 amps. The multiplication results in a maximum charging capacity of 200 kW. The charging capacity of 250 kW no longer appears in the official data table. The charging time remains unchanged at 30 minutes (10-80%), resulting in an impressive charging speed of 2.5 kWh/min - which is probably one of the highest values for 400-volt systems. Even the basic version of the Audi Q6 e-tron does not charge any faster despite the 800-volt technology. 

The Polestar 3 also achieves good values for range recharging: for every minute of charging time in the 10 to 80% SoC window, the basic version recharges for an average of 16.5 kilometres, i.e. an impressive 205 miles in 20 minutes. 

The Polestar 3 is also prepared for feeding electricity back into the grid (vehicle-to-grid, V2G) and for Plug and Charge.

Cockpit and equipment

As with the Polestar 2, the touchscreen is installed vertically

Inside, there is a 14.5-inch touchscreen with a vertical orientation and a small instrument display. All versions of the Polestar 3 have a large glass roof, LED lights, retractable door handles with proximity sensor and 21-inch aluminium wheels, doors with automatic soft-close function, a head-up display and heated steering wheel. 

The all-wheel drive models also have air suspension with electronically controlled dampers as standard. The numerous sensors include five radar modules and five external cameras, as well as two interior cameras to ensure that you are not distracted. A package with lidar is also available to order, but vehicles with it will not be delivered until mid-2025.

Market launch

The car was unveiled in October 2022, but production in Chengdu, China, did not start until 2024 due to software problems. In Germany, the large electric SUV has been delivered since July 2024, as shown by the KBA registration figures, but the first examples are likely to be intended for test drives and showrooms.

After the large electric SUV initially came from China, series production in the USA has now also begun for the USA. Anyone ordering a customised Polestar 3 at the beginning of December 2024 should receive their vehicle in April or May 2025, according to the configurator. This means the delivery time is around five months. Alternatively, there is the pre-configured Launch Edition, which will be delivered in September.

Prices and rivals

At the launch, the all-wheel drive models were priced at £79,900 and £85,500 respectively, but since the 2025 model year, which began in August 2024, prices have dropped to £75,900 and £81,500. These prices still apply now (early December 2024). As announced in June, the rear-wheel drive model costs £69,900 and has therefore not been discounted.

The Polestar 3's competitors include the Audi Q6 e-tron, the Volvo EX90, the BMW iX and the Mercedes EQE SUV.

More about Polestar 3:

Polestar 3 goes into production in the US

Polestar 3 X-ray analysis by InsideEVs