--- title: "Polestar 2 Gets a Permanent Performance OTA Upgrade With a One-Time $1,200 Fee" date: "2022-12-06" modified: "2022-12-06" authors: - name: "Nico DeMattia" job_title: "Contributing Writer" link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/nico-demattia" url: "https://www.thedrive.com/news/polestar-2-gets-a-permanent-performance-ota-upgrade-with-a-one-time-1200-fee" categories: - "Car Tech" - "Electric Vehicles" - "News" - "News by Brand" - "Polestar News" --- # Polestar 2 Gets a Permanent Performance OTA Upgrade With a One-Time $1,200 Fee ![]() Polestar's over-the-air performance upgrades are a little different than [others you may have heard of](). For the [Polestar 2]() Dual Motor Long Range, North American customers can now choose to pay a one-time fee of $1,195 for a permanent power boost of 68 horsepower and 15 pound-feet of torque. No paying monthly or yearly. It's just like getting your car tuned, except you never have to leave your driveway. After the upgrade, the Polestar 2 makes 476 horsepower and 502 pound-feet of torque. According to [Polestar](), that power bump shaves three-tenths off of its 0-60 mph time, dropping it to 4.2 seconds. However, Polestar claims that the power increase is mostly felt in the mid-range, between 44-80 mph. According to the automaker, it'll accelerate from 50-75 mph in 2.2 seconds, which is a half-second quicker than the standard car. To get this upgrade, head to Polestar's store site and order it. Then, you use the car's infotainment screen to download the update, and once it's done downloading, you've got yourself nearly 70 more horsepower. Tuning doesn't get more convenient than that. ![]() *Polestar* This isn't entirely new, as Polestar has offered this upgrade to European customers since 2021, but it is new to North America. Polestar is also far from the only brand to offer OTA performance upgrades for its EVs. Tesla was the first to do it, and Mercedes made headlines recently with its yearly subscription for power bumps across its EQ lineup. Is $1,195 a bit steep for less than a 70-horsepower bump, especially when it's just software? In the world of internal combustion and aftermarket tunes, yes. However, the convenience of being able to literally download the update in your driveway directly from the manufacturer and not have to worry about voiding warranties or reliability does sweeten the deal considerably. I'm not sure I would personally pay that much money for that amount of extra performance, especially since the standard Polestar 2 already feels quick, but it's cool to see Polestar offering permanent power upgrades without monthly subscriptions. *Got tips? Send 'em over to tips@thedrive.com* ## Author Nico is a writer and reviewer from New Jersey who probably thinks he’s a lot funnier than he actually is. His love of cars began when he was just a kid playing Gran Turismo 3, grinding out enough race wins with a Mazda Miata to save up for an in-game RUF 911. That passion for small, lightweight sports cars drove his desire to learn more about the industry, get his hands on as many cars as he could, and bring those experiences to life on the page. He cut his teeth writing about BMWs, Volkswagens, and Audis, mostly, and has owned far too many of each. He’s on his fourth 3 Series sedan, but all of his old, cheap German cars have forced him to learn more about car maintenance than his mechanical capability can handle. Too many late nights have been spent scrambling to get a car running by morning so he could get to work. For some reason, he never seems to learn that old Bimmers probably aren’t the best daily drivers. But he loves more than just old German cars. He’ll gladly drive and discuss anything with four (or even three) wheels. Cars aren’t his only passions, though. Nico is also a big nerd and loves movies, video games, comic books, and cares far too much about the New York Giants. So don’t be surprised if you see football references or dumb, obscure movie quotes in any of his car reviews. ### Author social links [Instagram]() [LinkedIn]()