Polestar 2 Won’t Be a ‘Tesla Killer’ says CEO

How many more manufacturers will try to be crowned king in the land of consumer EVs?

byRob Stumpf|
Polestar 2 Won’t Be a ‘Tesla Killer’ says CEO
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The Polestar 2 was expected to be the electrified Volvo spin-off's key to creating a disruption for the Tesla Model 3. As time goes on, it appears that Polestar would rather market the vehicle as a competitor, but not necessarily a "Tesla killer", as CEO Thomas Ingenlath confirmed to Auto Express in a recent interview.

After breaking off from Volvo as the Swedish automaker's previous performance-based division, similar to BMW's M or Mercedes' AMG divisions, Polestar became the answer to Volvo's move to a fully electrified lineup. Of course, performance is still in the Swede's bloodline, which is why a performance brand was still a necessity. Given that the Model 3 isn't a performance-oriented car (at least not yet), it's interesting to see Polestar targeting the automaker's electric-car-for-all as a direct competitor.

In late 2017, Polestar introduced the Polestar 1, the automaker's very first vehicle to market, rattling the cage by offering a 600-horsepower hybrid drivetrain in a beautiful 2+2 configuration. The automaker would go on to announce that a Polestar 2 and Polestar 3 were in the works, but details were slim. Ingenlath talked up the Polestar 2 as a Model 3 competitor, touting that it would be the company's first fully electric vehicle. Now, it seems that the company is now back-peddling just how focused it is on taking on Tesla.

"Polestar 2 will join the competition with Tesla Model 3, so people should have an understanding of the size and the price tag as well," Ingenlath explained, "It will start around 40,000 [pounds] [$55,523]. We are not saying it’s a Tesla killer, we are here to vividly compete with them in the market."

Ingenlath also pushed Polestar's upcoming subscription service, which nearly mirrors Volvo's same plan. Polestar drivers will be able to lease a vehicle by paying one flat fee that covers all vehicle expenses including insurance, lease payments, maintenance, and most other costs that might be incurred during ownership. Polestar will also lease out these same vehicles on a used "second subscription" basis, however, it is currently unclear what will happen to the vehicles after they return from the second subscription.

“The way you own a Polestar, we believe is a [sic] appealing to people, as you have a much more precise idea of what it actually costs to own," says the CEO, "It is a very clear and committed price per month and is hassle free.”

Even if Polestar isn't developing a Model 3 "killer," it is still committed to bringing in another vehicle to the competing market space. Other large manufacturers, such as Volkswagen, have identified Tesla as one of the largest driving forces in the EV market to-date, even child brand Porsche has its eyes set on the electrified prize. The market for an affordable EV will soon become flooded with competition, so for one manufacturer to back down on its stance of wearing the crown is unsettling and may already provide an insight to how manufacturers view Tesla, despite it being a new face around town.

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