New Zealand orders open for Polestar 4
Polestar 4 is now officially available to order in New Zealand. Following start of production and first deliveries in China at the end of 2023, Polestar has announced a starting price of $119,900.[1] Both Pilot and Plus packs are standard on all NZ vehicles, including Harman Kardon premium sound, Pixel LED headlights and 3-zone climate control.
Production is planned to start towards the middle of 2024, with first deliveries expected in early September.
Polestar 4 transforms the aerodynamics of a coupé and the space of an SUV into a new breed of SUV coupé. Design cues first seen on Polestar’s concept cars are brought to production in the fastest Polestar production car to date. Polestar 4 is positioned between Polestar 2 and Polestar 3 in terms of size and price.
“The introduction of Polestar 4 into all our markets through the course of 2024 is key to our success, adding this third model to our line-up. Polestar 4 tackles the premium performance class in the D-SUV segment. Polestar 4’s innovative interpretation of an SUV coupé offers great interior space and a stunning appearance,” says Thomas Ingenlath, Polestar CEO.
Design
As a design-driven brand, the design of Polestar 4 sees the continuation of key elements first shown by the Polestar Precept concept car, coming to life. This includes eliminating the rear window which enables a new kind of immersive rear occupant experience, and the separation of the dual blade front lights with unique Polestar light signature – complemented by the Polestar emblem with millimetre-precision lighting from below.
Aerodynamic efficiency is enhanced by the low nose, retractable door handles, flush glazing with frameless windows, rear aero blades and air flow optimisation around the rear light bar.
Built on the premium Sustainable Experience Architecture (SEA) developed by Geely Holding, Polestar 4 is a D-segment SUV coupé with a large body and long, 2,999 mm wheelbase. Overall length is 4,840 mm, width is 2,139 mm and height is 1,534 mm. The resulting generous interior proportions are especially evident in the rear, where occupants are cocooned in an intimate environment, with electrically reclining seats. Adjustable ambient lighting that adds an extra dimension to the interior, inspired by the solar system, allows the occupants to customise the driving environment.
Thanks to the elimination of the rear window, the standard full-length glass roof stretches beyond the rear occupants’ heads, creating a truly unique interior ambience. A secondary media and climate control screen is mounted between the front seats to enable rear occupant control.
The rear-view mirror is replaced by a high-definition screen that shows a real-time feed from a roof-mounted rear camera – enabling a far wider field of view than what can be experienced in most modern cars. The digital feed can be deactivated to allow drivers to instead see rear occupants if needed.
Maximilian Missoni, Head of Design at Polestar, says: “With Polestar Precept we previewed a stunning new occupant experience by removing the rear window and pushing the rear header, which plays an integral safety role, further back. This means that now, rear occupants can have a unique experience in our SUV coupé.”
The interior and its materials have been designed around the theme of ‘soft tech’, drawing inspiration from the fashion and sportswear industries. Colour and material choices for Polestar 4 explore new executions for Polestar – including new exterior colours Storm and Electron, and a unique new interior colour, Mist.
Sustainability
In late 2023, Polestar revealed that Polestar 4 carries the lowest carbon footprint of all its cars at launch. Polestar 4 is produced in Geely Holdings’ SEA factory in Hangzhou Bay, China, which combines green electricity that carries the I-REC hydro power certificate, with photovoltaic electricity from the roof of the plant. A higher use of low-carbon aluminium from smelters using hydropower electricity helps reduce the climate impact further. In addition, data regarding the share of recycled aluminium has been included in the assessment for the first time.
The Polestar 4 Long range Single motor version has a cradle-to-gate carbon footprint of 19.9 tCO2e, while the Long range Dual motor has one of 21.4 tCO2e. Aluminium represents 22.4-24% of the carbon footprint, while steel and iron constitute 20%, and battery modules account for the highest share of the carbon footprint of materials production and refining at 36-40%.
A mono-material approach, first presented in the Polestar electric roadster concept in 2022, is applied to interior materials, where all layers of certain components are produced from the same base material. This allows them to be recycled more effectively and efficiently by eliminating the need for incompatible materials to be separated before recycling.
New interior materials include a tailored knit textile which consists of 100% recycled PET, along with bio-attributed MicroTech vinyl, and traced leather from Bridge of Weir – where the raw hides are by-products of the food industry and come from Scottish farms that are independently rated by the Animal Protection Index as being of the highest global standard.
The tailored knit upholstery is a new technique for the automotive industry. First shown in the Precept concept car, the textile is made from 100% recycled polyester. The material and the design have been created by Polestar designers together with the Swedish School of Textiles (Borås Textilhögskolan) and further developed with suppliers. It is made to fit, producing minimal offcuts and reduced overall waste.
Inlay carpets in the interior are made using recycled PET and floor carpets are made using ECONYL, which includes reclaimed fishing nets. Specific door trim panels are made from NFPP (natural fibre polypropylene) which results in up to 50% less virgin plastic and a weight saving of up to 40%. MicroTech, first introduced in Polestar 3, is a bio-attributed vinyl that replaces crude oil with pine oil in its construction and features a recycled textile backing.
Performance
Polestar 4 is the fastest production car the brand has developed to date. The 0-100 km/h sprint can be completed in just 3.8 seconds[2]and maximum power output is 400 kW. Motors are of a permanent magnet, synchronous design. Driving dynamics are true to the Polestar brand – sharp steering and handling responses result in a thrilling and nimble driving experience for all occupants.
Both dual- and single-motor variants are available, with the single-motor featuring rear-wheel drive. Despite the high output and performance, control and confidence are always key factors to produce a responsible, everyday-enjoyable EV experience. Semi-active suspension features in the dual-motor version for an additional layer of adjustment between comfort and performance dynamics. Wheels range from 20 to 22-inches in size, with tyres supplied by Pirelli and Michelin, depending on configuration.
A 100 kWh battery is fitted to both long-range versions. The Long range Dual motor features 400 kW, 686 Nm and a preliminary range target of up to 580 km WLTP[3]. A disconnect clutch allows the car to disengage the front electric motor when not needed, to maximise range and efficiency.
The Long range Single motor version features a 200 kW and 343 Nm motor at the rear, and preliminary range target of up to 610 km WLTP[3]
Up to 200 kW DC and 22 kW AC charging is included for both versions, and the charge lid is motorised. Bi-directional charging hardware is included, with vehicle-to-load (V2L) functionality planned to be made available at a later date, providing for external devices to draw power from Polestar 4. A heat pump is fitted as standard, allowing the car to capitalise on ambient heat when preconditioning the cabin and battery.
A new drive optimisation function allows the driver to select between Range or Performance driving modes in the Long range Dual motor version. Performance mode sharpens up responsiveness from the powertrain and engages both motors at all times for full power delivery and best performance. Range mode prioritises efficiency, adapting the powertrain to a calmer style and forces use of only the rear motor.
Technology
Polestar continues to push technology towards a more entertaining, connected and autonomous future in all its cars. In Polestar 4, the infotainment system powered by Android Automotive OS and the Snapdragon Cockpit Platform now utilises a 15.4-inch landscape-oriented screen.
With Google built-in, including Google Assistant, Google Maps and Google Play, Polestar continues to offer a leading connected experience. The close collaboration with Google allows Polestar to keep pushing the boundaries of the system.
A Harman Kardon audio system is available as an option with 12 speakers and 1,400-Watt channel-hybrid amplifier. An additional two headrest speakers are added to each front seat with the optional Nappa Pack– raising the total to 16. Naturally, wireless Apple CarPlay is included.
As with other Polestar cars, regular over-the-air (OTA) updates allow for new features and improvements to be sent remotely to all vehicles, removing the need to visit a workshop to gain the latest software.
Safety
Safety is part of Polestar’s DNA thanks to its strong connection to Volvo Cars and these safety genes are built into Polestar 4, which features leading safety technology inside and out – tested to the same exacting standards as all other Polestar cars. Seven airbags are included.
New partnerships bring intelligent safety technology to the fore, including the SuperVision Advanced Driver Assistance System from Mobileye. A total of twelve cameras, one radar and twelve ultrasonic sensors are fitted as standard. This includes a driver monitoring camera, which only relays data and does not record video, to monitor the driver’s eyes and head movements to help avoid incidents related to fatigue or incapacitation. Together with hands-on detection in the steering wheel, the driver monitoring system helps to keep the driver actively engaged in driving, as required.
A 10.2-inch driver display is mounted ahead of the steering column and includes speed, battery and range information. When engaged by various assistance systems, a virtual environment can show other road users, current driving assistance functions and navigation information. To reduce distraction, a head-up display (HUD) with 14.7-inch projection area in front of the driver relays key vehicle, telephony and navigation information to the windscreen, further improving driver attentiveness. A clever ‘snow mode’ function for the HUD switches the text colour from white to yellow, improving visibility in snowy environments.
The standard Pilot Pack includes enhanced Pilot Assist with lane change assist, initiated by the driver tapping the indicator stalk in the desired direction.
Equipment packs and upgrades
Polestar 4 specification in New Zealand is high, with both Pilot and Plus packages included as standard, with additional packages tailored to adding specific options that enhance overall enjoyment. The Pilot Pack includes Pilot Assist and its extended features. The Plus Pack comprises comfort and technology upgrades.
The Pro Pack adding 21-inch wheels and subtle design details. The Nappa upgrade can be specified in addition to the Plus Pack and includes animal welfare-secured Nappa leather upholstery with ventilation and massage, additional headrest speakers for the front seats and rear comfort headrests.
The Performance Pack increases the performance look and driving experience of the Long range Dual motor version, with 22-inch wheels, 4-piston Brembo brakes, Polestar Engineered performance chassis tuning and Swedish gold details for the brakes, seat belts and valve caps.
All details can be found in the Polestar 4 car configurator which is now live at polestar.com/polestar-4.
