2020 Polestar 1 Review

The Polestar 1 is a two-door plug-in hybrid coupe. It can run on electric batteries hidden between the front seats and in the trunk, or it can run on a supercharged and turbocharged four-cylinder engine under the hood. Or it can run on both. All told, the system cranks out 619 horsepower and 738 lb-ft of torque and nets an estimated 60 miles of all-electric range too. Polestar will make only 1,500 cars globally over three years. Each vehicle is built and hand-assembled at the company's production facility in Chengdu, China.

The 1 is Polestar's first production vehicle built from the ground up. For years, the brand served as a tuning house, pumping up Volvos such as the S60 and the V90 in the same vein as AMG for Mercedes-Benz or M for BMW. Now an independent manufacturer, Polestar will focus on luxurious, high-performance vehicles with advanced electric powertrains.

The Polestar 1 has a total battery capacity of 34 kWh and uses Type 1 and Type 2 charging connectors. Under AC power, there is up to 11 kW of onboard charging available. Polestar says it requires about nine hours to fully charge the battery from empty on a standard 110-volt home outlet, or roughly four hours with a 220-to-240-volt wall unit. There is also DC fast charging, which increases capability to 50 kW and charges the Polestar 1 up to 80% capacity in under an hour.

On top of all that technology is a full carbon-fiber body that increases stiffness and reduces weight. All the weight savings serve to offset the massive heft of the battery packs, allowing the Polestar 1 to unleash its considerable power and carve canyons as well as lighter sports cars.

Overall, we're fond of the 2020 Polestar 1. It's a thoroughly enjoyable and impressive halo car with an unmatched ability to switch between eco-friendly and aggressive thrust for a plug-in hybrid.