The Polestar 3 May Be the Electric SUV You Want. But Wow, Is It Pricey

And there won’t be a federal tax credit to help you out.

Published October 13, 2022

Volvo’s performance EV brand Polestar has ambitious plans to increase its sales tenfold by 2025. The vehicle that’s going to help them achieve that is the new Polestar 3 SUV, which they call “the SUV for the electric age.” Polestar just unveiled the midsize crossover fully after a protracted tease over the summer. It looks absolutely brilliant. But it’s also going to be pricey.

Here’s what you need to know about the Polestar 3.

The Polestar 3 will be expensive

Polestar pulled no punches with the pricing. The Polestar 3 is launching in a “loaded” spec, which starts at $83,900 with a $1,400 destination charge. That can swiftly level up to more than $90,000 if you want the Performance Pack and an alternative paint color.

That’s well north of the previously reported figure of $75,000 (which itself seemed ambitious). And it’s substantially more than the AWD Polestar 2, which begins at $51,900.

Polestar will shift Polestar 3 production to South Carolina eventually. But under current rules, the Polestar 3 would exceed the $80,000 price cap for a federal tax credit.

It is possible not quite as loaded Polestar 3s will arrive later.

The Polestar 3 will bring the performance

The Polestar 3 uses a dual-motor AWD system with a “power bias toward rear-wheel drive.” The base model puts out 489 hp and 620 lb-ft of torque. You can bump that up to 517 hp and 671 lb-ft with the optional Performance Pack, for an extra $6,000. The Polestar 3 will accelerate from 0-60 mph in 4.9 seconds or 4.6 seconds with the Performance Pack.

The Performance Pack also adds 22-inch forged alloy wheels, a performance tuning for the air suspension and Pirelli P-Zero tires.

The Polestar 3 will offer more range than the Polestar 2

The Polestar 3 uses a 400V battery with 111 kWh of capacity, which the brand estimates will provide 300 miles of range under EPA testing (without the Performance Pack). The Polestar 3 will also be capable of bidirectional charging like the Ford F-150 Lightning.

The Polestar 3 interior will be minimalist

Polestar is clearly on team touchscreen with its minimalist interior design. There’s a massive 14.5-inch vertically oriented one mounted in the center of the vehicle. And but for a physical volume knob and some basic door and wiper controls, most vehicle functions will be handled there.

Polestar attempted to keep the interior sustainable. The Polestar 3 features materials like Volvo’s MicroTech upholstery made from recycled polyester, animal welfare-certified leather and fully traceable wool.

The Polestar 3 packs the latest Volvo safety tech

The Polestar 3 leverages enhanced computing and advanced cameras to provide the latest Volvo advanced safety tech. The Polestar 3 will get the new interior radar system that detects the presence of children and pets Volvo announced for the upcoming EX90 SUV.

When can you buy a Polestar 3?

Polestar is taking Polestar 3 orders now, and the configurator is live. The first deliveries are expected in Q4 2023. Production will initially start in China before transferring to America in mid-2024.