Polestar, the Swedish car brand focused on electric performance vehicles, has confirmed, after an extremely positive reception, that it plans to put its electric roadster concept into production.
The concept was revealed in Los Angeles in March as the Polestar O₂. It was later displayed at the Goodwood Festival of Speed 2022 and was easily one of my highlights from the show. The electric roadster was designed to showcase the brand’s vision for future sports cars.
Named the Polestar 6, the vehicle will be built on the brand’s bespoke bonded aluminium platform. Developed in-house, it will feature the high-performance, 800-Volt electric architecture already confirmed for Polestar 5. This includes output of up to 884 hp and 900 Nm of torque from a dual motor powertrain. Polestar is targeting a 0-62 mph sprint time of 3.2 seconds and a top speed of 155 mph.
The production car is expected to launch in 2026, with interested customers able to reserve a build slot online now.
Here are three reasons I'm excited for the Polestar 6:
1. Supercar styling
In my opinion, Polestar makes some of the most attractive cars on the road today, from the limited edition Polestar 1, to the massively popular Polestar 2 – I just can't get enough of the distinctive scandi styling.
The Polestar O2 features a low and wide body with an assertive stance, compact 2+2 cabin design, minimal overhangs and a long wheelbase. It looks like a classic supercar, but with a clearly modern, electric feel.
“This car is a meeting point between technology and art, between precision and sculpture, with a determined but not aggressive stance,” said Maximilian Missoni, Head of Design at Polestar.
It's not just pretty – the aerodynamics are manipulated to maximize range thanks to disguised design features. So you've got integrated ducts that improve laminar airflow over the wheels and body sides, and the rear lights that function as air blades to reduce turbulence behind the car.
2. Polestar 6 will use next generation sustainable materials
The Polestar O2 Concept not only gives you zero-emission driving but also showcases advances in sustainability materials. IHopefully these materials will make it to the production model.
A new thermoplastic mono-material features extensively in the interior. The term “mono-material” describes the use of a single base material to manufacture different components.
In Polestar O2, recycled polyester is the sole material used for all the soft components of the interior: foam, adhesive, 3D knit fibres and non-woven lamination. This simplifies recycling and is a significant step towards greater circularity, while also reducing weight and waste.
Polestar sustainability teams believe that materials should be recycled, not downcycled. In Polestar O2, they have integrated a new method of controlling recycled content and improving the circularity of metal components. Different grades of aluminium are used throughout the chassis to help deliver a thrilling driving experience.
These different grades are labelled, allowing them to be recycled more effectively and for their properties to be retained. High-grade aluminium remains high grade, while other grades maintain their varied characteristics, allowing for greater material efficiency and a lower requirement for virgin aluminium.
3. Polestar 6 production won't be limited
Polestar's first performance model, the Polestar 1, had a limited production run that was capped to three years and a total of 1,500 units. According to Top Gear, the Polestar 6 won’t be built in limited numbers, but, of course, they won't be producing them in the same quantity as the Polestar 2.
If you do want a limited edition Polestar 6, Polestar is producing 500 numbered units of a special ‘LA Concept’ version. These will exclusively feature the unique ‘Sky’ blue exterior, light leather interior and unique 21-inch wheels of the original Polestar O₂ concept.
You can expect to pay in the region of $200,000, although exact pricing will be announced at a later date.
