Polestar 5 makes UK debut and will have 874bhp of power

Polestar, Volvo’s spin-off electric car brand, has today debuted its forthcoming model – and its performance claims will likely make Elon Musk stand up and pay attention.

The new luxury family motor made its driving debut at the Goodwood Festival of Speed event in West Sussex this morning.

Despite not being on sale until 2024, the car company has confirmed it is aiming for a power output of 874bhp with 663lb ft of torque – meaning plenty of grunt to compete with Tesla’s ultra-fast Model S and Porsche’s sporty Taycan.

Polestar says its new 5 is a ‘high-performance electric 4-door GT with proper sports car credentials’.

It will use two electric motors – one attached to the front axle and the other at the rear – to power all four wheels using an 800 volt architecture.

To put its performance into perspective, Bugatti’s eight-litre, quad-turbocharged, W16-cylinder Veyron hypercar produced around 973bhp when it arrived in 2005 and cost over £1million.

Polestar’s family motor will cost a fraction of that – though prices are yet to be announced. 

While the prototype is still heavily disguised by its camouflage wrap, the silhouette shows a low-slung, stretched-out design not dissimilar to Tesla’s own flagship saloon model.

Pete Allen, head of research and development in the UK for the brand, says the car will offer ‘low-volume performance car attributes with modern technological advances to bring light-weight, high-rigidity sports car chassis technology into mass production’.

His team has been developing its unique bonded aluminium chassis, which it hopes will deliver both strong handling as well as comfort, suitable for Britain’s pothole-riddled roads.

The electric powertrain is being honed in Sweden with the performance figures of luxury EV rivals firmly in its sights.

Tesla’s Model S Plaid is claimed to produce just over 1,000bhp, accelerate from 0 to 60mph in 2 seconds and have a top speed of 200mph, as well as a range of up to 405 miles. It will cost in the region of £120,000.

The entry Porsche Taycan has 402bhp, hit 62mph in 5.4 seconds and has a top speed of 143mph – though there are more potent versions available. The cheapest costs from £74,000 and has a range of up to 314 miles.

While it will certainly have the latest in battery tech, Polestar has remained tight-lipped about what its potential full-charge range is and how long it will take to replenish the battery pack. 

Jörg Brandscheid, Polestar’s chief technology officer, said the battery-motor combination under development will set the ‘benchmark in our high-performing cars’. 

‘Combining strong electric motor engineering ability with advances in light-weight platform technology is leading to truly stunning driver’s cars,’ he added.

While Polestar says the new 5 won’t be on sale for another two years, the prototype is being run up the iconic Goodwood hill twice daily during the four-day motoring event. 

When it arrives in 2024 it will be the third of three new EVs expected to be launched by Polestar in the coming three years, following the Polestar 3 and Polestar 4 electric SUVs.

Thomas Ingenlath, Polestar boss, said the car will become the a ‘company-defining project’. 

He added: ‘Its progressive design and advanced engineering set the tone for Polestar’s future. 

‘We have great talent on board enabling us to create truly iconic EVs.’

> Want to know which electric cars on sale have the longest ranges? Read our top 10 guide here