The Polestar 1 will appear at the Beijing Motor Show (April 25-May 4) following its first winter testing in northern Sweden. The Polestar team spent two weeks in the Arctic Circle conducting a shakedown of the first Polestar 1 prototype, testing the vehicle in temperatures as low as -28°C (-18°F). The winter testing was used to examine and fine tune the usual automotive aspects of the vehicle, but the hybrid model’s drivetrain and battery performance were also assessed in the cold conditions.
Test drivers were focused on the Polestar 1’s torque vectoring system, which uses two rear electric motors with individual planetary gear sets. The icy conditions were also used to optimize the chassis balance.
“Our test drivers have given us some enthusiastic feedback on the handling and dynamics especially,” said Thomas Ingenlath, chief executive office at Polestar. “Besides being very happy with the balance of the chassis, they are particularly excited about the torque vectoring.
“We are now very confident about how this enhances the Polestar 1’s cornering responsiveness and accuracy. This is a driver’s car. We have now passed a major milestone in the development of the Polestar 1, and prototype testing continues throughout 2018.”
In 2017, Volvo announced that Polestar would begin producing high-end electric performance vehicles under its own name and badge. The Polestar 1 will be a two-door hybrid, while future vehicles will be all-electric.
You can read more on Volvo’s electrification strategy and Polestar development in E&H Vehicle’s interview with Karin Thorn, vice president of vehicle propulsion, Volvo, featured in the current issue.
