Polestar 2 owners just got a sweet free charging perk
Polestar 2 owners in the US are getting two years of free DC fast charging, the automaker has revealed today, an unexpected perk that could help settle concerns about longer-distance road trips in EVs. It'll mean free access to Electrify America charging stations, albeit with some caveats, to take advantage of the Polestar 2's up to 155W charging rate support.
Pull into an Electrify America charging station in the US, and Polestar 2 owners will get unlimited 30 minute charging sessions. That, the company says, would be enough to take the EV from 10-percent to 80-percent.
There are 800 Electrify America charging locations across the US, amounting for more than 3,500 individual plugs. What's interesting is that Polestar isn't saving the deal for just new owners of the EV. Instead, anybody with a 2021 or 2022 Polestar 2 – whether a new buyer or an existing one – will be able to take advantage of the two year promotion.
If you're an existing owner, you should get an email about how to sign up for free charging services within the Electrify America app. New owners, meanwhile, will get their code within two weeks of taking delivery.
The sessions themselves will be capped at 150 kW, Polestar says, slightly lower than the Polestar 2 itself can actually support. Although the EV launched with a 150 kW limit, an over-the-air update pushed out in February of this year nudged that up slightly, to 155 kW. Of course, other factors affect charge speed too, such as environmental conditions like temperature, the current level of charge in the battery, and more.
Locations of the chargers can be found within the Electrify America app, or through the Polestar 2's Android Automotive OS-powered infotainment system. That uses Google Maps for navigation, and can be searched manually or via voice for the nearest charging station.
It's worth bearing in mind that, if you stay longer than 30 minutes at the charger, Electrify America will potentially bill you for any excess fees. Polestar 2 owners can remotely monitor the charging session via the car's app.
While VW-backed Electrify America is still increasing availability of its stations around the US, they're still prevalent enough today that a cross-country trip is possible. The Polestar 2 Dual Motor is rated for up to 249 miles of EPA range, while the recently-released – and more affordable – Polestar 2 Single Motor clocks in even higher, at 265 miles of range.