When you think of lightweight, nimble, and deceptively fast sportscars, you probably think of something like a Lotus Elise or Exige. These days, though, sedans with powerful, high-torque electric motors are the new drag strip kings – but what if you could combine the best of both worlds to deliver something that’s on another level entirely? Sound like a recipe for a Tesla Roadster? It might, but this is no Tesla. Meet the new Polestar O2 concept, and get hyped: a new golden age of sportscars is coming!
“Polestar O2 is the hero car for our brand,” comments Thomas Ingenlath, Polestar CEO. “It opens the door to our secret chamber of future potential. This is a taste of what we can design and engineer with the talent and technology we have in-house. It looks incredible, and being able to lower the roof and not hear an engine promises a superb sensation.”
So pretty; courtesy Polestar.
The Polestar O2 digs deep into parent company Geely’s intellectual parts bin, with a lightweight, bonded-aluminum chassis similar in concept to the chassis that’s underpinned the most recent Lotus exotic cars – and, while we’re at it, the first Tesla Roadster, as well. And, yes, I know this is “just a concept” and a lot of the images in the official press release are CGI – but did you miss the part where Polestar said it didn’t build concept cars, it builds promise cars? I didn’t.
What’s more, with Polestar’s plan to be “bigger than Porsche” one day, it makes sense for the pure play electric performance car brand to reach into the corporate parts bin and compete with the Boxster/Cayman twins head-to-head, don’t you think?
Polestar O2 chassis; courtesy Polestar.
That up there? That seems pretty thoroughly conceived for something that’s “just a concept”. And, sure, it may be little more than a lightly modified Lotus project with Polestar-specific styling tweaks and electric drivetrain in place, but would that be such a bad thing?
Lotus handling, Volvo levels of safety, Polestar’s commitment to environmental friendliness, and Geely’s economies of scale (potentially) holding prices down to something not totally out of reach? I’m going to have to calm down here – let’s look at some more pictures of this thing …
Yes, definitely. Courtesy Polestar.
… yeah, that’s not helping. If anything, I’m getting even more excited to check out the Polestar O2 in person, if and when it ever makes its way Stateside. That’s just me, though, and I have a well-documented history of making expensive and emotional Volvo-based decisions of late.
I’ll leave it to you guys to make up your own minds about this new open-top roadster. Check out the official press release (with special attention paid to the remote drone) from Polestar, below, then let us know what you think of the concept in the comments section at the bottom of the page. Enjoy!
Polestar O₂ concept envisions new age for electric roadsters
-
-
Second concept car from Polestar builds on Precept design language
-
Bespoke aluminium platform showcases quality and rigidity
-
Sustainability and technology ambitions take next steps toward greater circularity with recycled polyester thermoplastic mono-material and aluminium labelling
-
Autonomous cinematic drone mixes innovation with fun
-
GOTHENBURG, SWEDEN – 2 March 2022. Polestar, the pure play electric performance car brand, has revealed a new concept car that redefines sports roadsters for the electric age. Named Polestar O2, the hard-top convertible is Polestar’s vision of open-top performance and a thrilling driving experience – with all the benefits of electric mobility.
“Polestar O2 is the hero car for our brand,” comments Thomas Ingenlath, Polestar CEO. “It opens the door to our secret chamber of future potential. This is a taste of what we can design and engineer with the talent and technology we have in-house. It looks incredible, and being able to lower the roof and not hear an engine promises a superb sensation.”
Dynamics
Image courtesy Polestar.
Maximilian Missoni, Polestar’s Head of Design, says: “Polestar O2 is our vision of a new era for sports cars. By mixing the joy of open top driving with the purity of electric mobility, it unlocks a new mix of emotions in a car. But as with all our cars, we are about more than just straight line sprints. It’s when you turn the steering wheel that the true fun begins.”
The driving experience in the Polestar O2 is designed to be lively, light and full of confidence. Predictability and playfulness are core to exciting, spirited driving. Tight body control, high rigidity and intuitive dynamics are inherent benefits of the bespoke bonded aluminium platform which is adapted from the Polestar 5, developed in-house by Polestar’s R&D team in the UK.
The high quality and rigidity of the bonded aluminium platform are geared towards heightened dynamic response. Handling dynamics are taut thanks also to small roll angles and high roll damping, and the agile, direct steering feel is linear, with great steering torque build-up.
Design
Image courtesy Polestar.
Clearly related to the Polestar Precept concept car but with its own distinct character, the look of Polestar O2 shows how Polestar’s evolving design language can be adapted to different body styles with a strong family resemblance. The low and wide body with an assertive stance, compact 2+2 cabin design, minimal overhangs and a long wheelbase, embody classic sports car proportions but with a clearly modern, electric feel.
“This car is a meeting point between technology and art, between precision and sculpture, with a determined but not aggressive stance,” continues Maximilian Missoni.
Aerodynamics are manipulated to maximise range thanks to disguised design features like integrated ducts that improve laminar air flow over the wheels and body sides, and the rear lights that function as air blades to reduce turbulence behind the car.
Sustainability and technology
Image courtesy Polestar.
Polestar O2 also showcases advances in sustainability and technology. A new thermoplastic mono-material features extensively in the interior. The term “mono-material” describes the use of a single base material to manufacture different components.
In Polestar O2, recycled polyester is the sole material used for all the soft components of the interior: foam, adhesive, 3D knit fibres and non-woven lamination. This simplifies recycling and is a significant step towards greater circularity, while also reducing weight and waste.
Polestar sustainability teams believe that materials should be recycled, not downcycled. In Polestar O2, they have integrated a new method of controlling recycled content and improving circularity of metal components. Different grades of aluminium are used throughout the chassis to help deliver a thrilling driving experience.
These different grades are labelled, allowing them to be recycled more effectively and for their properties to be retained. High grade aluminium remains high grade, while other grades maintain their varied characteristics, allowing for greater material efficiency and a lower requirement for virgin aluminium.
Innovation
Image courtesy Polestar.
In a world increasingly driven by social media, the Polestar O2 features an autonomous cinematic drone integrated behind the rear seats. Developed in collaboration with Aerofugia’s consumer electronics brand Hoco Flow, the concept drone can be deployed while the car is moving, to record the perfect driving sequence.
Polestar engineers have developed a specialised aerofoil that raises behind the rear seats to create a calm area of negative pressure that allows the drone to take off when the car is on the move. The drone operates autonomously, automatically following the car at speeds up to 90 km/h, and the driver can choose between an atmospheric sequence – great for a coastline cruise – or a more action-filled sequence with a sportier expression. After filming, the drone can autonomously return to the car. Video clips can be edited and shared directly from the 15-inch centre display when the car is parked.
“We wanted to emphasise the experience you can have with a car like the Polestar O2 in new and unusual ways,” continues Maximilian Missoni. “Integrating an autonomous cinematic drone was something that allowed us to push the boundaries on the innovation front. Not needing to stop and off-load the drone before filming, but rather deploying it at speed, is a key benefit to this innovative design.”
Polestar O2 continues the strong foundations laid by Polestar Precept as a vision of the company’s future design, technology and sustainability ambitions. Polestar plans to launch three new cars over the coming three years, starting in 2022, each of which has potential to gradually realise some of the ideas presented by these concept cars.
Polestar also intends to list on the Nasdaq in a proposed business combination with Gores Guggenheim, Inc. (Nasdaq: GGPI, GGPIW, and GGPIU), which is expected to close in the first half of 2022.
Source | Images: Polestar.
Sign up for daily news updates from CleanTechnica on email. Or follow us on Google News!
Have a tip for CleanTechnica, want to advertise, or want to suggest a guest for our CleanTech Talk podcast? Contact us here.
Former Tesla Battery Expert Leading Lyten Into New Lithium-Sulfur Battery Era — Podcast:
I don't like paywalls. You don't like paywalls. Who likes paywalls? Here at CleanTechnica, we implemented a limited paywall for a while, but it always felt wrong — and it was always tough to decide what we should put behind there. In theory, your most exclusive and best content goes behind a paywall. But then fewer people read it! We just don't like paywalls, and so we've decided to ditch ours. Unfortunately, the media business is still a tough, cut-throat business with tiny margins. It's a never-ending Olympic challenge to stay above water or even perhaps — gasp — grow. So ...
