When no rear window makes for a greater automobile

Final 12 months, Polestar announced its most practical EV yet within the Polestar 4. However this week, through the automobile’s North American debut on the New York Worldwide Auto Present, we lastly received an official launch value and an opportunity to take a look at its most controversial function.

Positioned as a barely smaller and extra reasonably priced model of the Polestar 3, the corporate’s newest EV SUV has rather a lot driving on it because it appears to be Polestar’s most interesting mainstream providing thus far. The excellent news is that whereas the associated fee was initially mentioned to be round $60,000, launch pricing really is available in barely under that. The Polestar 4 begins at $56,300 (together with vacation spot) for the usual long-range single-motor model with round 300 miles of vary whereas the dual-motor AWD variant with round 270 miles will set you again $64,300.

Granted, that’s nonetheless considerably greater than lots of its rivals together with the Tesla Model Y which begins at $43,900 (earlier than federal incentives) or the Hyundai Ioniq 5 at $47,400. However after speaking to Polestar CEO Thomas Ingenlath, I received the sense that the corporate is type of OK with that, as they view the 4 as a extra approachable however nonetheless very premium providing amongst EV SUVs.

On the surface, the Polestar 4 retains the rakish attractiveness we’ve seen on its bigger sibling however with just a few twists. Its nostril is a bit pointier and extra sloped, and it’s a bit easier too because it doesn’t have a entrance wing like the three. The Polestar 4 continues to be primarily based on the low-slung coupe-like SUV form that’s all the fad proper now. Nonetheless, to make sure that rear-seat passengers have ample room, Polestar has forgone a rear window fully, opting as an alternative for a easy sheet of metallic together with cameras and a rearview mirror with an embedded show.

At first, this may appear to be a step too far, even for an EV that may not be beholden to the identical burden of custom as fuel automobiles. However Ingenlath defined that there are a number of benefits that come from this design change. By not having a rear window, Polestar was in a position to push the rear seats again additional whereas sustaining ample headroom regardless of the sloping roofline, which creates a spacious cabin. I had no bother climbing out and in and even with the entrance seats pushed way back to attainable, I nonetheless had ample legroom within the again. Moreover, in contrast to most automobiles, the Polestar 4’s rear seats can recline, which provides much more of a loungey really feel.

One other main benefit is one among practicality. As it’s, the rear home windows on a number of coupe SUVs are so small they don’t present a lot in the best way of helpful visibility. And that’s earlier than you contemplate any passengers or baggage that may additional hinder your view. By changing the rear window and mirror with a digicam and a show, the Polestar 4 can supply an unobstructed perspective out of the again of the automobile. However maybe most significantly, the concept of a automobile not having a rear window isn’t actually unparalleled, as there are literally thousands of cargo vans on the street at the moment with out a viewport in again.

So whereas the concept may nonetheless appear nerve-wracking, Ingenlath stays assured. He merely requested prospects to “strive it.” He added “There’s a lot about psychology and folks being naturally opposed to alter. However innovation is about asking what have been the foundations prior to now that do not essentially have to be the foundations sooner or later.”

The corporate’s Scandinavian heritage exhibits by way of with a streamlined inside. That mentioned, Ingenlath mentioned the purpose isn’t minimalism for minimalism’s sake. By creating a brand new material created from recycled plastic bottles known as Delicate Tech, Polestar was in a position to line the cabin with a sustainable 3D materials that enables ambient lighting to shine by way of whereas nonetheless being fairly sturdy. Up high, the fastened glass roof is electrochromic, which permits it to modify from clear to opaque with the contact of a button.

One factor that caught out to me was that like all of Polestar’s automobiles, the 4 seems like a designer’s automobile. As somebody who received his begin within the business creating automobiles for VW, Audi and others earlier than turning into the CEO of Polestar, Ingenlath mentioned the corporate actually cares about small particulars just like the font and typography. You possibly can see this in issues just like the textual content on the motive force’s facet door, which options each the title of the automobile and the dimensions of its battery, leading to a label that’s each fairly and informative. Alternatively, there are options just like the ambient lighting, which makes use of a naming customary primarily based on planets within the photo voltaic system (blue with a touch of inexperienced for Earth, crimson for Mars, and so forth.). Ingenlath mentioned “We merely love what we’re doing, and we love indulging that keenness. And we have now to seek out the individuals who share the identical ardour for that sort of high quality and know-how.”

Sadly, we haven’t had the prospect to take the 4 out for a drive simply but. However because the competitors amongst EVs continues to extend, it’s clear Polestar is carving out a distinct segment as a producer that embraces innovation by way of its automobiles. With pre-orders going stay someday in April and deliveries slated for This autumn 2024, it shouldn’t be lengthy till we get an opportunity to expertise how the Polestar 4 feels on the street.