Polestar, the electric-car focused brand that sits as part of the Volvo Car Group, has taken the wraps off the first image of its Tesla Model 3 competitor. The Polestar 2 is set to be the brand’s first all-electric vehicle, and it’s made no secret about how it wants to compete with Elon Musk’s most recent car in the marketplace.
The car, set for a full unveiling in the second half of this year, looks to pack an impressive punch. Preliminary specs include 300 miles of range, 400 horsepower, a four-door fastback body, and a price that competes well with the Model 3 with a current base price of $44,000. The teaser image released Thursday doesn’t give too much away, bar a sleek black-and-white design that suggests a professional yet understated exterior, with a clear red light running across the length of the rear.
Polestar 2 in action.
See more: Stunning Polestar Track Video Shows How Volvo Plans to Take on Tesla
Polestar will need a lot to outshine the Model 3. The all-electric car has set numerous sales records and given Tesla one of the biggest years of expansion in automaker history, delivering over 350,000 cars in total. Polestar will face a vehicle that offers range of up to 310 miles, speeds of up to 155 mph, and access to a giant central touchscreen that covers all controls. Polestar is set to focus on Google Assistant integration to cover this latter selling point, asking “Ever been frustrated with your car navigation? Tried to use voice control? We know there’s a better way for the driver and the vehicle to interact.”
Polestar won’t be pushing consumers to pay upfront for the whole car, though. It’s prioritizing a monthly subscription system instead, which covers maintenance, roadside assistance and insurance. The subscription will last for between two and three years, after which the consumer returns the car, or Polestar switches it out for another car. The company then offers the original car as a pre-owned vehicle. The unique model will be the only way for users to get their hands on the Polestar 1, the hybrid vehicle set to enter production after the prototyping phase in the next few months.
The Polestar 2 is expected to enter production around the start of 2020, around the same time that Tesla is expected to start production of its Model Y entry-level sports utility vehicle.
Related video: Introducing Polestar 1
