Polar Star introduced the Polestar 4, the second jeep in its lineup, at Auto Shanghai 2023. It’s actually technically an SUV coupe, which means it has the space and four doors of an SUV, but the sloped roof and aerodynamics of a coupe.
The Polestar 4 has plenty of new specs that make it stand out, but the boldest design choice has to be the lack of a rearview mirror. Instead, drivers will look at screens in their cab when reversing, which will show a real-time feed from a roof-mounted rear camera.
The Volvo spinoff says this gives the driver a wider field of vision than they’d get by simply looking out the rear window. It is also likely to cause some drivers anxiety. What happens if a rock breaks that camera or the transmission fails and stops working? No rear window means no backup in the event of technological challenges, so Polestar must be pretty confident in what it brings to the streets.
The company says there’s a design reason for the decision to remove the rear window, and that it was first tested with the Polestar Precept concept car.
“With Polestar Precept, we previewed an impressive new occupant experience by removing the rear window and pushing the readout header, which plays an integral safety role, further back,” said Maximilian Missoni, chief designer of Polestar, in a statement. “This means that now, rear occupants can have a unique experience in our coupe SUV.”
The removal of the rear window also allows for a long glass roof that extends beyond the heads of the rear occupants. The glass roof can come with electrochromic functionality or smart glass, which can change to transparent or opaque depending on the needs of the occupants.
The Polestar 4 has the spaciousness of an SUV and the raked roof of a coupe. Image Credits: Polar Star
From the outside, the car has a speed the same. The door handles are retractable, and the frameless windows are flush with the car body. The low nose gives it the necessary aerodynamics to make this the fastest production model Polestar has ever produced: it can go from 0 to 60 miles per hour in 3.8 seconds and has a maximum power of 544 hp.
The Polestar 4 will be available in twin and single engine versions. The dual-motor version will feature semi-active suspension for sporty performance without sacrificing comfort.
Both long-range versions will feature a 102 kWh battery, and the dual motor has a target range of 350 miles. All versions get up to 200 kW DC and 22 kW AC charging, and bi-directional charging is also included for vehicle-to-charge capabilities.
The Polestar 4 will be launched first in China, with production scheduled for November 2023 at a Geely-owned production facility in Hangzhou Bay that runs on renewable energy.
Polestar plans to launch in other markets, including Europe, North America, and Asia Pacific, in early 2024.
The Polestar 4 will be priced between the 2nd and 3rd, around $60,000.
Polestar 4 Technical Specifications
Drivers can access the Polestar 4’s intelligent infotainment system, Apple CarPlay and Google products through a 15.4-inch screen. Image Credits: Polar Star
Like all new electric vehicles today, the Polestar 4 is packed with technology and inching toward that unattainable goal of an “autonomous future.”
The car’s infotainment system is powered by the Android Automotive operating system and Qualcomm’s Snapdragon Cockpit platform, which is accessible via a 15.4-inch display up front.
Apple CarPlay is included and Google is integrated, including the Google Assistant, Maps and Play. So drivers can say things like “Hey Google, take me to the nearest charging station” or “Hey Google, play ‘Despacito,'” and directions or tunes will stream from the Harman Kardon audio system, which is available as a 12-speaker option.
There’s also a secondary climate and media control screen mounted between the front seats for rear occupants to play with.
But wait! There is more! Screens, that is. There are more screens, because we don’t have enough screens in our lives yet.
A 10.2-inch driver’s display is mounted in front of the steering wheel and displays information on speed, battery and range. It can also show other road users current driving assistance features and navigation information. If that’s too distracting, there’s also a head-up display (which is basically a screen on the windshield) with a 14.7-inch projection area that provides the driver with “key vehicle, phone and navigation information,” according to Polestar. When it is snowing, the HUD text color will change from white to yellow to improve visibility.
Polestar uses Mobileye’s SuperVision advanced driver assistance system (ADAS), which is based on 12 cameras, a radar and 12 ultrasonic sensors. Owners can pay extra for the Pilot Pack, which includes lane change assist.
To make sure the driver doesn’t rely too much on ADAS or fall asleep at the wheel, Polestar 4 includes a driver monitoring camera that monitors the driver’s eyes and head movements. That and convenient steering wheel sensing keep the driver actively engaged.