2021 Polestar 2 US pricing confirmed: Tesla rival arrives this summer

Polestar has announced US pricing for the 2021 Polestar 2, its first all-electric car, and it's good news compared to what the EV-maker had originally suggested. Second in the Volvo/Geely collaboration's new range, Polestar 2 will take on the Tesla Model 3 with a starting price of $59,900 in the US.

That's around $3,000 less than the automaker initially indicated, back when it announced the Polestar 2 in 2019. It's an important change, too, since it brings the electric fastback under the level where some US states permit EV rebates.

Combined with the $7,500 federal tax credit – which Polestar, unlike Tesla and GM, is yet to exhaust with electrified car sales – that could add another $2,000 state rebate, location depending. In total, it would bring the Polestar 2 down to $50,400 in launch edition form, what with tax incentives and rebates.

Your money gets you 408 horsepower and 487 lb-ft of torque as standard, along with all-wheel drive. The 78 kWh battery is yet to be rated by the US EPA, but Polestar has previously said that it expects it to be good for around 275 miles on that cycle. 0-62 mph should arrive in under five seconds.

Polestar has also confirmed the price of its various options for the car. Probably of most interest is the Polestar 2 Performance Package, which will add things like Öhlins dampers and Brembo brakes, along with special 20-inch forged wheels. There'll also be gold brake calipers, valve caps, and seat belts.

That will be a $5,000 option, Polestar said today. If you want the car's Nappa Leather interior, that will be $4,000. 20-inch alloy wheels on their own will be $1,200, while metallic paint will be $1,200.

While the idea of a direct Model 3 competitor is intriguing enough, the Polestar 2 will also debut a number of brand new features to the automotive space. Most interesting is the Android Automotive powered dashboard, which uses a new version of Google software intended for cars. That will include voice control via the Google Assistant, Google Maps for navigation with special EV-focused points of interest, and the Google Play Store for third-party apps.

Polestar kicked off production of the car back in late March, at its facility in China. Reservation holders can start to place their order online, with the first deliveries expected to take place from summer 2020. Meanwhile this summer, the company says it should have physical showrooms open in the US, where would-be buyers can take a look and a test drive before they order online. Leasing and finance options will follow in due course, Polestar promises.