Volvo’s Polestar electric vehicles will be available for sale in Australia in the second half on 2021, in what can only be described as a huge win for the EV market.
The company will sell directly to customers online in Australia and will have separate staffing to Volvo’s Australian employees.
Much like Tesla’s purchasing system in Australia, customers will be able to arrange test drives and talk directly with brand representative at designated ‘Polestar spaces’.
The first vehicle to launch in the Australian market will be the Polestar 2, which is “expected to be launched locally by November 2021,” according to Polestar Australia managing director Samantha Johnson.
“Polestar sees considerable potential in the Australian market, which is why it will be one of the first markets to launch as part of the company’s Asia Pacific expansion,” Johnson told news.com.au.
The Polestar 2 is widely considered to be a major rival of the Tesla Model 3, which is currently the most popular electric vehicle sold in Australia. So it’ll be interesting to see how the Polestar is received in the local market.
The vehicle is a high-riding sedan, which means it’s physically similar in size and dimensions to the Tesla Model 3. Much like the Model 3, the Polestar 2 also features a fully vegan, leather-free interior.
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We’ve got no word on pricing or tech specs for the Australian model of the Polestar 2 just yet, but we can assume it will be pretty similar to the overseas models, plus taxes and on-road costs.
The standard model is fitted with a 64kWh battery and a 165kW motor, which drives 420 kilometres on a single charge.
Additionally, you can beef it up to 515-540 kilometres per charge by opting for the long range variant, which would likely be successful in Australia given our landscape.
As it currently stands, European pricing for the Polestar 2 ranges from €40,000 to €60,000 ($63,000 to $94,500) excluding on-roads. However, it’s unclear if the Australian model will maintain price parity.
Comparatively, the Tesla Model 3 pricing starts at $68,094 plus on-roads.