It’s hard to miss a convoy of brand new Polestar 3 SUV EVs cruising the 401 West under stormy skies.
Polestar 3 has arrived, and the SUV that drives like a sports car set out from Toronto, headed west along the bustling Highway 401 for an epic rally across Niagara on the Lake.
Silent engines, sleek designs were a stark contrast to stormy skies brewing overhead. The Rally itself meant to contrast peak performance and innovation with history, making stops at all the historic landmarks in the area. Now available in Canada, this hotly anticipated EV is finally hitting the streets.
507 km range on a single charge
The Polestar 3 EV can boast up to a 507-kilometre range on a single charge. It can charge in 28 minutes and goes from 0-100 kilometres in 4.7 seconds. Polestar 3 is a 5-seater, designed on Geely owned SPA2 (scalable product architecture platform). Polestar 3’s core computing is from NVIDIA, and the 3 is the first Polestar available with LiDAR from Luminar.
The exterior design maximizes efficiency of Polestar 3. Front and rear aero wings and rear aero blades look stylish but are meant to control the air flow over the vehicle, optimizing down flow with less drag while maximizing range and efficiency.
Increased sustainability of interior materials continues to drive Polestar’s efforts towards a net-zero future, with recycled plastic and aluminium, and new-age textiles like bio-attributed MicroTech, which replaces crude oil with pine oil in its manufacture, making a new form of sustainable luxury.
Polestar 3: Best Time of Day
Polestar 3 is spectacular in comfort, ride and is a customizable drive experience. Polestar 3 allows the driver to customize one can adjust the liftgate height from the back boot which is nice for grocery load in three different ways. It rests on Öhlins, advanced suspension technology. One can adjust the liftgate height from the back boot which is nice for groceries. Inside at the driver’s seat I can adjust the jounce too, for a firm or loose ride.
The DFV (Dual Flow Valve) enables tuning the intermediate shock absorber speed range independently from low- and high-speed damping. Before we set out for the drive to Niagara on the Lake, I’ve already adjusted the steering for a loose steering feel. There are three ways to adjust steering feel, from firm, standard to loose. Personally, I prefer loose steering and firm suspension.
Polestar: One pedal drive
Polestar 3 is an intuitive start, meaning there is no ignition. It recognizes you the moment you are in the seat. Polestar 3 doesn’t even have a traditional key fob. Instead, I had a key card for my wallet or my phone case. Polestar Connect stores configurations for each driver.
Polestar 3 can mimic an internal combustion engine drive experience using the accelerator and brake. You can effectively even mimic manual drive by enabling regeneration whilst keeping the creep on. For a full EV experience, we have a standard and low regeneration option which uses reverse energy of the motors to brake the SUV.
It’s a true EV drive experience. The accelerator becomes the brake as well. Known as “one pedal drive”, it will also carefully adapt to your drive style, often working with your timing to bring Polestar 3 to a more precise and smoother stop every time.
Range anxiety
For all we’ve talked about the amazing suspension and drive modes, Polestar 3 is an impressive EV in several ways. Being a performance brand, there is quality and craftsmanship at every turn. Top of the line Brembo Brakes look sporty in yellow calipers. Yellow belts and tire caps emphasize the performance look of the SUV.
The interior sound system contains award winning Bowers & Wilkins speakers. The sound system comprises 25 speakers, Dolby Atmos, and 1,610 watts of power.
More specifically, the Polestar 3 speaker system includes:
- Five Double-dome aluminum tweeters, each with Nautilus swirl chambers
- Seven Continuum midrange speakers
- Four woofers
- Four headrest speakers
- Four headlining speakers
- A dedicated subwoofer attached to the exterior
Dolby Atmos
Spatial audio technology creates sound 360 degrees around the listener, placing each voice, tone, or instrument precisely in the cabin. Polestar 3 is remarkably quiet with active road noise cancellation which helps to cancel out wind, tire, and road noise, while still allowing important sounds like sirens and car horns.
Each front-seat headrest has two 1.57″ full-range speakers to enhance the spatial audio perception. There is an immersive listening experience for both drivers and passengers. Sound can also impeccably mimic concert hall settings.
To culminate an epic rally through Niagara on the Lake, the Polestar 3s parked around a natural timepiece, creating a visual spectacle. The juxtaposition of historic Niagara on the Lake versus cutting-edge design of Polestar 3 underscored positive change and continuity.
This journey wasn’t just about showcasing the capabilities of electric vehicles; it was a celebration of movement in harmony with environment. Each stop along the route told a story of where we’ve been and where we’re going. Polestar 3 leads the charge toward a cleaner, more sustainable future. The skies might have been overcast for the Polestar Niagara on the Lake Rally, but the future of Polestar is bright.
Images: Polestar
Theresa Longo (B.B.A Hon) is a former Miss Italy World contestant & professional brand ambassador based in Toronto. She covers topics such as performance auto, high fashion and world travel.
