RE: Polestar 4 available to order in UK from £60k
RE: Polestar 4 available to order in UK from £60k
Wednesday 31st January 2024

Polestar 4 available to order in UK from £60k

Up to 544hp and 379 miles for Polestar's rear-windowless coupe SUV


It’s all systems go at Polestar. The updated 2 is very decent indeed, the 3 is on sale, the Taycan-rivalling 5 should be launched soon enough and the sporty 6 will be here before you know it - because 2026 doesn’t seem so far away anymore. The missing number is 4, of course - but not any longer, as the ‘new breed of SUV coupe’ is available to order now. 

Revealed to the world last year in Shanghai (and on sale in China since the end of 2023), the 4 has now arrived in Europe and Australia. Polestar reckons it’s onto something innovative by bringing together the aero of a coupe (0.261Cd) with the space of an SUV. Certainly, it’s big enough, at 4.84m long, 2,139mm wide and 1,544mm tall. A 2,999mm wheelbase promises plenty of space, with the added luxury of electrically reclining seats. Without a conventional rear window, the standard pano roof stretches beyond the heads of those in the back. With ambient lighting as well, it promises to be quite the way to travel. The rest of the very minimalist interior is recognisably Polestar, down to the gold seatbelts and Android Automotive infotainment, complete with a 15.4-inch landscape-oriented screen. 

The 4 will launch with two power options in the UK. Both employ a 400V system, with a Nickel-manganese-cobalt battery made by CATL rated at 100kWh (94kWh usable). 200kW DC charging is possible, or 22kW AC. The £59,990 4 Long Range single motor is rear-drive and 272hp strong, which will shoot it to 62mph in 7.1 seconds. Preliminary data suggests that up to 379 miles will be possible on a full charge, with efficiency rated between 3.42 and 3.51 miles per kWh. 

It’s the dual-motor 4 that’s probably most interesting, however, not least because it's the fastest accelerating car Polestar has yet built. Its 544hp means 3.7 seconds to 62mph is possible (both will reach 124mph), with 360 miles of range. Its worst-case scenario efficiency should only just dip below 3 mi/kWh, too, with 2.95-3.33 claimed. (The front motor can be disengaged when not needed, to aid efficiency). It costs £66,990 - the new Macan kicks off at just £3,000 more. 

With so many of the details confirmed at last year’s reveal, it’s easier now to get stuck into the nitty gritty of UK spec. Both models get a 12-speaker Harmon Kardon sound system, a 14.7-inch head-up display (with snow mode that makes the font yellow), MicroTech upholstery, a heated wheel and a swathe of driving assistance features as standard. A Pilot Pack (£1,300) introduces acceleration, braking, steering and lane change support up to 93mph if the assistance included isn’t enough, while a Pro Pack adds bigger wheels with Swedish gold valve caps. For the dual-motor 4, a Performance Pack is available for £4k, which adds ‘Polestar Engineered chassis tuning, 22-inch forged wheels with Pirelli P Zeros and more gold.

“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 coupe offers great interior space and a stunning appearance,” says Thomas Ingenlath, Polestar CEO. With online sales having now begun, deliveries are expected from August. Assume September and it’ll get a nice new ‘74’ plate, too. 


Author
Discussion

jmcc500

Original Poster:

677 posts

248 months

Wednesday 31st January 2024
quotequote all
Nice car, but I am not sure about the reliance on digital rear view mirror. My experience is that they are great in the right conditions, but can be poor in low light and/or wet conditions, when being able to revert to a conventional reflection is helpful.

Also, the change in focal distance (is that the right term) that your eyes have to manage when looking from the road ahead to the internal screen adds some delay when compared to using a mirror where your eyes are still focussing at a greater distance.

georgeyboy12345

4,619 posts

65 months

Wednesday 31st January 2024
quotequote all
The shape is very Jag i-Pace. Jaguar were definitely ahead of their time with that design. As for this car, it feels a bit like another missed opportunity. It’s just too expensive. Let’s see some under £40k. Agree, not having a proper rear window is pointless and surely just adds to costs

barryrs

5,031 posts

253 months

Wednesday 31st January 2024
quotequote all
"Its worst-case scenario efficiency should only just dip below 3 mi/kWh, too, with 2.95-3.33 claimed."

Well that's hardly a step change as my EQC long term average is 2.8 over 9000 miles!

Rather than improving battery tech to increase range everyone is just sticking a larger pack in the car.

anonymous-user

84 months

Wednesday 31st January 2024
quotequote all
Like that.

cptsideways

13,884 posts

282 months

Wednesday 31st January 2024
quotequote all
barryrs said:
"Its worst-case scenario efficiency should only just dip below 3 mi/kWh, too, with 2.95-3.33 claimed."

Well that's hardly a step change as my EQC long term average is 2.8 over 9000 miles!

Rather than improving battery tech to increase range everyone is just sticking a larger pack in the car.
Don't buy an SUV then

Augustus Windsock

3,793 posts

185 months

Wednesday 31st January 2024
quotequote all
“a 14.7-inch head-up display (with snow mode that makes the font yellow)…”
Does it also flash up the helpful message ‘Don’t eat yellow snow’…? rofl

GreatScott2016

2,522 posts

118 months

Wednesday 31st January 2024
quotequote all
jmcc500 said:
Nice car, but I am not sure about the reliance on digital rear view mirror. My experience is that they are great in the right conditions, but can be poor in low light and/or wet conditions, when being able to revert to a conventional reflection is helpful.

Also, the change in focal distance (is that the right term) that your eyes have to manage when looking from the road ahead to the internal screen adds some delay when compared to using a mirror where your eyes are still focussing at a greater distance.
Decent post. I had similar initial thoughts and reservations.

barryrs

5,031 posts

253 months

Wednesday 31st January 2024
quotequote all
cptsideways said:
barryrs said:
"Its worst-case scenario efficiency should only just dip below 3 mi/kWh, too, with 2.95-3.33 claimed."

Well that's hardly a step change as my EQC long term average is 2.8 over 9000 miles!

Rather than improving battery tech to increase range everyone is just sticking a larger pack in the car.
Don't buy an SUV then
Eh?

I did and im really pleased with it, just surprised Polestar haven't managed to move things on in 5 years.



GroundEffect

13,864 posts

186 months

Wednesday 31st January 2024
quotequote all
barryrs said:
"Its worst-case scenario efficiency should only just dip below 3 mi/kWh, too, with 2.95-3.33 claimed."

Well that's hardly a step change as my EQC long term average is 2.8 over 9000 miles!

Rather than improving battery tech to increase range everyone is just sticking a larger pack in the car.
The battery has very little to do with the mi/kWh performance (because a kWh is a kWh) - that is more controlled by aero and internal friction. Both are SUVs.

If you compare with the new Polestar 2 RWD, that is >4mi/kWh on the cycle.

anonymous-user

84 months

Wednesday 31st January 2024
quotequote all
georgeyboy12345 said:
It’s just too expensive. Let’s see some under £40k.
But Polestar is Geely's premium brand. You want cheaper, go and look at a BYD.

I think this will get the nod ahead of the Macan for me. Good to see that it gets the Plus pack as standard.

AndySheff

6,928 posts

237 months

Wednesday 31st January 2024
quotequote all
Augustus Windsock said:
“a 14.7-inch head-up display (with snow mode that makes the font yellow)…”
Does it also flash up the helpful message ‘Don’t eat yellow snow’…? rofl
Seems a bit odd with no rear window ! Anyhow, you should eat yellow snow - it might be beer !

SDK

3,523 posts

283 months

Wednesday 31st January 2024
quotequote all
This looks great !
The standard (launch) spec is decent and the interior choices good too,

CKY

2,268 posts

45 months

Wednesday 31st January 2024
quotequote all
Wow what an anonymous homogenised blob; looks identical to that hideous electric Lotus thing from the front, marginally better from the front doors-backwards.

kambites

71,483 posts

251 months

Wednesday 31st January 2024
quotequote all
barryrs said:
Eh?

I did and im really pleased with it, just surprised Polestar haven't managed to move things on in 5 years.
I think his point was that there's not really anything to move on, unless the move is to smaller cars. Most modern cars are incredibly aerodynamically efficient and electric drive-trains are all pretty good so both of those elements are deeply into diminishing returns. The only place remaining to make big efficiency gains, especially at high speeds which is when range really matters, is by reducing frontal area.

SDK

3,523 posts

283 months

Wednesday 31st January 2024
quotequote all
CKY said:
looks identical to that hideous electric Lotus thing from the front,
The front of the P4 identical to the Electre ?
Aside form the completely different headlights, front bumper, bonnet height and lack of vents on the P4 blabla

Get yourself down to Spec Savers !





TGCOTF-dewey

7,882 posts

85 months

Wednesday 31st January 2024
quotequote all
AndySheff said:
Augustus Windsock said:
“a 14.7-inch head-up display (with snow mode that makes the font yellow)…”
Does it also flash up the helpful message ‘Don’t eat yellow snow’…? rofl
Seems a bit odd with no rear window ! Anyhow, you should eat yellow snow - it might be beer !
It always is... It's just the degree of processing that changes.

DoctorX

8,238 posts

197 months

Wednesday 31st January 2024
quotequote all
Rather like that, nicer than the Lotus IMO. Having a 'minimalist' interior is depressing though. If I'm dropping a huge amount of cash on a car, the last thing I want is a stripped out interior!

sam.rog

1,584 posts

108 months

Wednesday 31st January 2024
quotequote all
barryrs said:
"Its worst-case scenario efficiency should only just dip below 3 mi/kWh, too, with 2.95-3.33 claimed."

Well that's hardly a step change as my EQC long term average is 2.8 over 9000 miles!

Rather than improving battery tech to increase range everyone is just sticking a larger pack in the car.
Depends what their definition of worst case scenario is.
Vmax at -20c, that’s very impressive. 30mph at 22c not so much.

I like the way it looks. Might be a replacement for my tesla y LR in a couple years.

TheInternet

5,244 posts

193 months

Wednesday 31st January 2024
quotequote all
kambites said:
The only place remaining to make big efficiency gains, especially at high speeds which is when range really matters, is by reducing frontal area.
I can imagine the current limiting factor for that is the battery size/packaging, and perhaps in time the car widths might return to something more appropriate for UK towns and cities. (broken record)

LennyM1984

1,130 posts

98 months

Wednesday 31st January 2024
quotequote all
SDK said:
The front of the P4 identical to the Electre ?
Aside form the completely different headlights, front bumper, bonnet height and lack of vents on the P4 blabla

Get yourself down to Spec Savers !




In fairness they do look pretty similar. Similar shaped headlight, similar rear quarter shape etc.