Entering the fierce competition of electric SUVs, the 2024 Polestar 3 sets its sights on big contenders like the BMW iX with its competitive pricing and innovative specifications. Arriving in two highly featured versions, the Polestar 3 is set to launch in the early months of 2024, starting at a price of $132,900 excluding on-road costs for its Long range Dual motor variant.

Its initial offer includes the Plus Pack and Pilot Pack as standard, hinting at potential changes to the base price beyond 2024. The optional Performance Pack carries the price tag to $141,900 before on-road expenses.

The Polestar 3's cutting-edge design includes five radar modules, five external cameras, and 12 external ultrasonic sensors as standard features. An optional Pilot Pack with LiDAR can be added, with expected availability from Q3 of 2024. This addition includes an NVIDIA control unit, further cameras and sensors, and cleaning for both front and rear-view cameras. LiDAR technology in the pack allows for 3D scanning of the vehicle's surroundings, paving the way towards autonomous driving.

In terms of charging, the Polestar 3 is designed for bidirectional charging, which could potentially facilitate vehicle-to-grid and plug-and-charge capabilities in the future.

The model boasts a one-pedal drive mode, torque vectoring on the rear axle, and the ability to decouple the rear electric motor, enabling the car to run solely on the front motor, thus conserving energy.

The Polestar 3 utilizes an NVIDIA Drive core computer to manage its driver assist and monitoring features, which include two closed-loop driver monitoring cameras that track eye movements and alert drivers when they are likely to become drowsy. If warnings fail, an emergency stop function can be triggered.

Interior radar sensors can detect even sub-millimeter movements within the cabin, alerting drivers if they've left a child or pet behind. These sensors also integrate with the climate control system to prevent heatstroke or hypothermia.

Echoing its predecessor, the Polestar 3 employs Blockchain technology to trace key components such as cobalt, lithium, mica, nickel, and leather. In line with sustainability efforts, a range of eco-friendly materials are offered for the cabin's interior. Options include animal welfare approved Nappa leather or wool, and bio-attributed MicroTech vinyl.

The 2024 Polestar 3 is powered by a rear-biased all-wheel-drive system with dual electric motors, delivering a total system output of 360kW of power and 840Nm of torque. The optional Performance Pack enhances these outputs to 380kW and 910Nm, reducing the 0-100km/h time to 4.7 seconds.

Incorporating a liquid-cooled 111kWh lithium-ion battery, the Polestar 3 promises a preliminary WLTP range of up to 610km, or 560km with the Performance Pack. Charging capacity ranges up to 11kW for AC and up to 250kW for DC, allowing a charge from 10 to 80 per cent within 30 minutes.

In terms of size, the 2024 Polestar 3 stands at 4900mm in length, 1627mm in height, and 2120mm in width, including mirrors. It offers 484L of storage space in the rear, expandable to 1411L with the rear seats folded, and a 32L front storage compartment.

The 2024 Polestar 3 comes with a comprehensive five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty, along with a separate eight-year or 160,000km battery warranty, including five years of roadside assist and servicing up

The 2024 Polestar 3 emphasizes safety with its array of advanced features, ensuring protection for all passengers. As of now, it hasn't been tested by ANCAP or Euro NCAP, but the comprehensive list of standard safety equipment showcases the brand's commitment to road safety.

The Polestar 3 features front, front-side, curtain airbags, and a driver’s knee airbag for optimal passenger safety in the event of a collision.

Key standard safety equipment includes:

Adaptive Cruise Control

Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB)

Steering Support

Vehicle, Cyclist, and Pedestrian Detection

Blind Spot Monitoring

Front and Rear Cross-Traffic Assist

Run-Off Road Mitigation

Oncoming Lane Mitigation

Lane Keep Assist

Multi-Collision Brake

Traffic Sign Recognition

Driver Attention Monitoring

Interior Radar

Reversing and Surround-View Cameras

Front and Rear Parking Sensors

The Polestar 3 also offers the optional Pilot Pack with LiDAR, which includes an additional NVIDIA control unit, extra sensors and cameras, and 3D scanning of the vehicle’s surroundings. This feature enhances safety and is a significant step towards autonomous driving.

2024 Polestar 3 Price (estimated drive away prices)

2024 Polestar 3 Long Range Dual Motor – 144,189

2024 Polestar 3 Long Range Dual Motor with Performance Pack – 153,639

2024 Polestar 3 Long Range Dual Motor standard features:

Adaptive air suspension

Dual-clutch torque-vectoring rear axle

Four-piston front Brembo brake calipers in gold

Adaptive LED headlights with dusk sensing, auto high beam

LED tail-lights with auto dimming

14.5-inch infotainment touchscreen with Google apps built-in (including maps), over-the-air updates, digital radio, Bluetooth (but no Apple CarPlay at launch, due late 2024)

9.0-inch digital instrument display

Panoramic glass roof with illuminated Polestar logo

Hands-free power tailgate

Wireless smartphone charger

Four USB-C ports

Power-adjustable front seats with heating, driver's seat memory

Black headlining

Textile floor mats

Tri-zone auto climate-control air conditioning

Heat pump (uses battery heat to warm up the cabin)

Rain-sensing windscreen wipers

60:40 split-folding rear seats with ski port

Power-adjustable heated frameless side mirrors

Auto-dimming side and centre rear-view mirrors

Privacy glass

Rear-view camera

360-degree surround-view camera

Front and rear parking sensors

Adaptive cruise control

Autonomous emergency braking with pedestrian and cyclist detection

Lane-keep assist

Traffic sign recognition

Blind-spot monitoring

Rear cross-traffic alert

Tyre pressure monitoring

Driver monitoring system

"Up to" nine airbags (including dual front-centre airbags

Standard on all 2024 Polestar 3s is the Plus Pack, which includes:

25-speaker, 1610-watt Bowers and Wilkins premium audio system with Dolby Atmos

21-inch black diamond-cut alloy wheels with tyre repair kit

Soft-close doors

MicroTech textile or wool blend upholstery

Power-adjustable steering column with memory

Cabin air quality sensor

"Repurposed" aluminium deco inlays

Heated rear seats, steering wheel and windscreen wipers blades

Infrared windscreen

Upgraded rear cargo floor

Also standard on all 2024 Polestar 3s is the Pilot Pack, which includes:

Pilot Assist semi-autonomous driving system for freeways (acceleration, braking and steering support up to 150km/h)

Automatic parking

Head-up display

2024 Polestar 3 Long Range Dual Motor with Performance Pack adds:

Performance software upgrade (380kW/910Nm)

Polestar Engineered suspension tuning

22-inch forged alloy wheels with Pirelli P Zero tyres (265/40 front and 295/35 rear)

Swedish gold valve caps and seatbelts

Laser-etched gold interior light line on the dashboard

"Range optimisation" drive mode

Optional is the $6000 Pilot Pack with lidar, which adds:

Long-range lidar technology from Luminar

Additional computer for assisted driving systems

Three additional exterior cameras

Four additional ultrasonic sensors

Cleaning system for front and rear cameras

Standalone options include:

1.3-megapixel HD LED headlights ($3000)

22-inch forged alloy wheels ($3000, different to Performance Pack wheels)

Nappa leather interior with ventilation, powered seat side supports and massage function for front seats, with Black Ash deco ($7500)

Metallic paint ($2000)

Non-tinted acoustic laminated glass (no cost option)

Fully-electric folding tow bar ($2900)