SHANGHAI — Polestar’s newest mannequin, the Polestar 4, can have no rear window and no rearview mirror. As an alternative, the motive force will depend on a high-definition display screen exhibiting a real-time feed from a roof-mounted, rear-facing digicam.
Polestar says the digital feed, which may be deactivated to permit drivers to see rear occupants, will enhance security, particularly at night time.
“That is a tremendous purposeful enchancment to have the again window eliminated,” Polestar CEO Thomas Ingenlath mentioned. “At night time you do not simply see two tiny dots within the rearview mirror, you see a lot extra. And you may also look to see your youngsters again there with the press of a button.”
The design aspect was first proven within the 2020 Polestar Principle idea.
As a result of there isn’t a again window, the Polestar 4’s panoramic roof extends previous the heads of the rear occupants, who’re capable of recline their seats. The usual full-length glass roof is offered with elective electrochromic performance, permitting for the glass to be made opaque or clear, relying on the temper
The Polestar 4, which the automaker calls a reinterpretation of the coupe-styled crossover, would be the electrical automobile maker’s quickest mannequin when it reaches the European and U.S. markets early subsequent 12 months.
By 2025, the glossy premium midsize crossover is predicted to be the model’s No. 2-seller after the Polestar 2.
The automaker revealed the Polestar 4 on Tuesday on the auto present right here. China would be the crossover’s launch market. Will probably be inbuilt Hangzhou Bay at a manufacturing facility owned by Geely. Polestar’s automobiles are inbuilt Geely and Volvo factories. The 2 firms co-founded Polestar in 2017 and are strategic companions within the Nasdaq-listed firm.
The Polestar 4 shall be underpinned by the model of the Sustainable Expertise Structure for bigger automobiles. Volvo helped dad or mum Zhejiang Geely Holding to develop SEA, which may also be utilized by Sensible, Lynk & CO, Zeekr and Baidu.
“The Polestar 4 will take an vital position within the portfolio permitting us to achieve a wider group of individuals,” Ingenlath mentioned whereas exhibiting the car to a small group of journalists final month on the automaker’s design middle close to Gothenburg, Sweden.
That’s as a result of its beginning value shall be 60,000 euros, placing it under the bigger Polestar 3 crossover that begins at 88,600 euros in Germany. Within the U.S., the Polestar 4 will begin at $60,000 whereas the Polestar 3 begins at $85,300, together with delivery.
“The Polestar 4 shall be an enormous a part of our 2024 story,” Ingenlath mentioned.
The automaker expects to promote 43,000 Polestar 4s subsequent 12 months, based on supplies it put collectively earlier than its inventory itemizing. That quantity is forecast to rise to 79,000 in 2025, at which level the Polestar 4 will rank on the model’s No. 2-seller behind Polestar 2 premium midsize fastback. The corporate expects international Polestar 2 gross sales to achieve 104,000 by mid-decade.
“With the Polestar 4 and Polestar 3 we’ll cowl the premium SUV Phase in a full-fledged approach, that means in a value vary of 60,000 to 150,000 euros,” Ingenlath mentioned.
Polestar says the rear styling and lack of rear glass additionally permits a brand new type of immersive rear occupant expertise. It additionally means the rearview mirror is changed by a high-definition display screen exhibiting a real-time feed from a roof-mounted rear digicam.
The advance display screen and monitor allow a far wider discipline of view than what may be skilled in most trendy automobiles, Polestar mentioned. The digital feed may be deactivated to permit drivers to as an alternative see rear occupants if wanted.
Adjustable ambient lighting
Polestar design boss Maximilian Missoni, who additionally spoke with journalists on the design middle in Torslanda, Sweden, final month, mentioned a number of steps have been taken to verify the rear of the automobile would not really feel like a cave.
That features adjustable ambient lighting that’s impressed by the photo voltaic system, permitting the motive force to customise the inside atmosphere.
As an example, selecting the plant Mars ends in a red-color ambient lighting whereas orange lighting outcomes when the solar is the chosen coloration. Together with the colour comes a breakdown on the plant or the solar, offering a variety of enjoyable details.
“That is extra of Polestar-style strategy to lighting, which is what we have been aiming for,” Missoni mentioned,
The brand new crossover can be the primary Polestar with a 15.4-inch panorama/horizontal infotainment display screen within the middle of the dashboard quite than a portrait/vertical display screen.
The brand new configuration makes it doable to resize the display screen in order that it’s 100%, 50-50, or 30-70. This fashion it may be shared with a passenger. For instance, if the motive force solely wants a small portion of the display screen to see course from the navigation system which means the passenger can use as much as 70 p.c of the display screen to discover a specific artist or track utilizing Spotify.
The SUV has Android Automotive OS with Google built-in, together with Google Assistant, Google Maps and Google Play. It additionally makes use of the Snapdragon Cockpit Platform from Qualcomm.
3D knitting
The inside and its supplies have been designed across the theme of so-called “gentle tech,” drawing inspiration from the style and sportswear industries. Polestar mentioned the purpose was to make use of 3D knitting of a textile made out of 100% recycled polyester. The fabric is very similar to a mesh on a high-end sneaker. It’s sturdy however it’s a floor that may have mild come via it.
The fabric was created by Polestar designers along with the Swedish Faculty of Textiles (Borås Textilhögskolan) earlier than being additional developed with suppliers.
As much as 200 kW DC and 22 kW AC charging is included for all variations of the Polestar 4. Utilizing AC charging it takes 5 and half hours to carry the battery from 0 to 100%. With DC charging going from 5 to 80 p.c takes 32 minutes.
Security is a part of Polestar’s DNA because of its sturdy connection to Volvo Vehicles and these security genes are constructed into Polestar 4, which options main security expertise in and out – examined to the identical exacting requirements as all different Polestar automobiles. As much as 9 airbags are included. New partnerships carry clever security expertise to the fore, together with the SuperVision Superior Driver Help System from Mobileye.
Like Tesla’s fashions, the Polestar 4 has no lidar, which provides price. As an alternative the crossover’s superior driver help system makes use of 12 cameras, one radar and 12 ultrasonic sensors, that are commonplace. This features a driver monitoring digicam, which solely relays knowledge and doesn’t report video, to watch the motive force’s eyes and head actions to assist keep away from incidents associated to fatigue or incapacitation.
Along with hands-on detection within the steering wheel, the motive force monitoring system helps to maintain the motive force actively engaged in driving, as required.
A ten.2-inch driver show is mounted forward of the steering column and consists of velocity, battery and vary data. To scale back distraction, a head-up show with 14.7-inch projection space in entrance of the motive force relays key car, phone and navigation data to the windshield, with the purpose of additional enhancing driver attentiveness.