Polestar (PSNY) is gearing up to launch its new electric sports car, the Polestar 6, in 2026. The Swedish electric vehicle maker calls it “the future of the sports car,” as Polestar wants it to go head-to-head against the Porsche 911 in dynamic driving.
Backed by auto industry veterans Volvo and Geely, Polestar has made an exciting entrance into the electric vehicle market.
With a focus on sustainability, not only from the vehicle’s emissions but throughout its entire life cycle, Polestar is building some of the most eco-friendly cars on the road.
The Polestar 2, the automaker’s first fully electric model, was introduced in 2019 and has continuously built momentum with progressive upgrades each year.
Polestar expanded its portfolio this fall, releasing the Polestar 3, the brand’s first electric SUV with a 300-mile range, in October. As the company’s CEO, Thomas Ingelath, said during the company’s third-quarter earnings:
We [Polestar] are a real [electric] car company, we are in production, we are putting cars on the road today, and we are delivering.
The Polestar 4, the company’s second SUV, is slated to launch in 2023, while its original concept, the Precept, will follow up as the Polestar 5 in 2024.
Meanwhile, the automaker’s 2+2 electric roadster that debuted as the O₂ concept is set to come to life as the Polestar 6, or what they call “a new era for sports cars.” Although Polestar 6 production is planned for 2026, the company is “benchmarking this [electric sports car] against a Porsche.”
Polestar’s electric sports car set to take on Porsche 911, Taycan
According to new details Edward Trinh, Polestar Australia’s Product Planning Manager revealed to Drive at a Melbourne event showcasing the automaker’s electric sports car, the Polestar 6 will Rival Porsche models.
Trinh said at the event:
We’re benchmarking this dynamically against a Porsche. [The] 911, the Taycan – they’re the types of cars we’re looking at. We believe they’re the benchmarks in the industry for vehicle dynamics.
The Polestar 6 will feature a dual motor (884 hp and 663 lb-ft) AWD electric architecture (800V) with a target 0 to 62 mph (0 to 100 km/h) time of 3.2 seconds and a top speed of 155 mph.
Trinh adds Polestar’s R&D team is “incredibly serious” about including superior driving dynamics, stating:
Speaking to the R&D team, we got a bit of insider information from the head of vehicle dynamics for this vehicle [that] they’re looking [into] trick suspension systems.
With Polestar’s performance history, Trinh says, “It needs to handle. Vehicle dynamics is our background, we don’t forget about that heritage.”
The two-door electric sports car will feature an aluminum unibody for maximum strength and ideal weight, often found “on a Mclaren or a Lotus,” according to Trinh. Perhaps, more importantly, all types of aluminum will be labeled “so it’s easy to recycle.”
The automaker’s sustainability mission will be on display in the Polestar 6, as Trinh adds:
It’s not just about carbon neutrality, it’s about circularity, so we’re making cars that are easier to service, easier to repair, easier to recycle.
Electrek’s Take
Can Polestar’s electric roadster dethrone the Porsche 911? Don’t count out Polestar yet, as the company was initially a racing team.
Porsche’s 911 can achieve 0 to 62 mph in under 3 seconds, but Polestar still has a few years to perfect their first electric sports car. EVs offer the opportunity for higher performance with instant torque and acceleration.
Meanwhile, Porsche has also been in the lab creating its own electric sports. What looks like a Porsche 718 Boxster was spotted testing in Germany. (You can read more about that here.)