Polestar 1 Production Ends in 2021 With Only a Fraction of the Last Batch Coming to the US
The company set out to build just 1,500 Polestar 1s starting in 2019.
Starting at $155,000 in the U.S., the Polestar 1 is the most desirable concept car in modern history that somehow made it into series production. As Geely's premium EV brand, Polestar refers to it as a "low-volume electric performance hybrid GT," pointing out that it has the longest pure-electric range of any hybrid car in the world by offering 60 miles in pure electric mode per the U.S. EPA's test (or 78 miles per the WLTP test). However, with the Polestar 2 and all future models being pure battery electrics, the pioneering hybrid was always going to be a niche product, set for a total run of 1,500 units in 2019.
As a result, the Polestar 1 is already in its final production year. With the production facility in Chengdu, China, only making roughly 500 Polestar 1s in 2021, and the US is getting 125 units from the last batch. All in all, the 1,500 units by the end of 2021 make the Polestar 1 almost as rare as a Ferrari F40, that latter of which had its production capped at 1,315 twin-turbo beauties after Maranello received more orders than it could satisfy.
We like the unique attributes of Polestar's halo car, including its hybrid powertrain featuring a twin-charged 2.0-liter four-cylinder internal combustion engine, an integrated starter generator at the front, and a pair of electric motors on the rear axle. The entire system has an impressive combined output of 619 horsepower and 738 pound-feet of torque. With a 34 kWh battery pack on board, this ends up being a highly versatile gran turismo car indeed.
Under the sleek carbon fiber body, the Polestar 1 also packs six-piston Akebono brakes (just like the McLaren P1!), adjustable Öhlins Dual Flow Valve dampers and mechanical torque vectoring.
Expensive? For sure. If you want exclusivity and a fantastic driving experience in a 2+2, the final-year Lotus Evora GT can be yours at two-thirds the price of this hybrid. As far as performance hybrids go, however, those 125 Polestar 1s still destined for the US in 2021 remain unique propositions, with high-class cabins to match their stunning exteriors.
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