Momentum in the development of the Polestar 1 has increased with the production of the first series of road-going verification prototype (VP) cars in Sweden. Produced for a number of purposes including crash tests, weather testing and on-road assessment, the VP cars form the very first fleet of Polestar 1 cars on the road.
Construction of the cars, which takes place in a specialised prototype production facility in Gothenburg, is largely done by hand. It acts as the first testing phase for production of Polestar 1 customer cars which will be built at the new Polestar Production Centre in Chengdu, China. The carbon fibre-body of the Polestar 1 required the development of new specialised production equipment and construction techniques that will be transferred to the factory and used to build the production cars.
“The assembly of the VP cars means that the Polestar 1 has taken its next step towards production,” says Thomas Ingenlath, Chief Executive Officer of Polestar. “This first batch of 34 cars will enable our engineers to tune the finer details of the car, ensuring that the Polestar 1 is perfect when we start to produce customer cars in the middle of next year.”
Production of the Polestar 1 marks the first time that a brand in the Volvo Car Group has explored carbon fibre construction. The VP cars have allowed engineers to design, test and execute complicated construction processes with positive results.
Volvo South Africa has previously said that the Polestar 1 will only be produced in left-hand drive configuration meaning it won't be making its way to South Africa. It has been estimated that the 2+2 coupe will carry a price of at least ZAR 2.6 million (€150 000), and be limited to just 1,500 units.
The sporty coupe has a drivetrain mated to a twincharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine with a rear axle housing a pair of electric motors that push out 160kw. They are controlled independently to create torque vectoring. Interestingly, it can drive solely on electric power for up to 150kms, and in full electric mode boasts outputs of 441kw and 1,000nm! So expect impressive pace and performance, when deliveries commence mid-2019.
Also worth a look: the 315kW of Swedish Grit: The Volvo EX30 Cross Country Revealed and the Volvo EX90: The Future of Safety Lands in SA in 2025.
FAQ
Q: What does the Polestar 1 cost in South Africa?
The Polestar 1 won't actually be available in South Africa since it's only produced in left-hand drive configuration, but if it were, it would carry an estimated price of at least R2.6 million based on its €150,000 European pricing.
Q: Is the Polestar 1 worth buying?
While the Polestar 1's carbon fibre construction and hybrid drivetrain make it an impressive piece of engineering, South Africans can't actually buy one since Volvo won't be bringing any right-hand drive models to our market.
Q: How powerful is the Polestar 1 engine?
The Polestar 1 combines a twincharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine with two independent electric motors on the rear axle that produce 160kW, creating a sophisticated hybrid drivetrain setup.
Q: How many Polestar 1 cars will be made?
Polestar will only build 1,500 units of the Polestar 1 worldwide, making it an extremely limited production vehicle that's more of a halo car than a volume seller.
Q: Where is the Polestar 1 manufactured?
The Polestar 1 will be manufactured at the new Polestar Production Centre in Chengdu, China, though the verification prototypes are currently being hand-built in a specialised facility in Gothenburg, Sweden.
Should You Buy It?
Here's the thing, you can't buy a Polestar 1 in South Africa even if you wanted to splash R2.6 million on one. Volvo has confirmed it's only making left-hand drive versions, which rules us out completely. Even if it were available, at that price point you'd be looking at proper supercar territory where you could get a much more established performance machine. The Polestar 1 is an impressive technical showcase with its carbon fibre body and hybrid drivetrain, but it's essentially a concept car that got a limited production run. Save your millions for something you can actually drive on the right side of the road.
