Polestar O2 electric performance roadster concept
Swedish electric performance brand Polestar has unveiled a new concept vehicle that redefines the sports car roadster for the electric age. Polestar O₂, a hardtop convertible, expresses Polestar’s vision of performance and an exciting driving experience – with all the benefits of electric mobility. “
Polestar O₂ is our brand’s ‘hero car’,” said Thomas Ingenlath, CEO of Polestar. “It gives a sense of the extent of our potential and what we can design and develop with the talent and technology we have in-house. Not only does it look incredible, the ability to lower the roof without hearing an engine promises a great driving experience.”
Driving dynamics and design
Tight body control, high rigidity and intuitive dynamics are inherent benefits of the bespoke aluminum platform, inherited from the Polestar 5 and developed by the Polestar Research and Development team in the UK. The high quality and rigidity of the aluminum platform ensure better dynamic response. Thanks to the small roll angle and high roll damping, the driving dynamics are firm and the agile, direct steering feel is straight with a strong build-up of steering torque.
The design of the Polestar O₂ is clearly related to the Polestar Precept concept car, but has a character all of its own. It shows how Polestar’s evolving design language can be adapted to suit different body styles while retaining a strong family resemblance. The low and wide body with a confident stance, compact 2+2 cabin design, minimal overhangs and long wheelbase embody the proportions of a classic sports car, but with a distinctly modern, electric style. “Technology and art, precision and design meet in this vehicle – with a determined but not aggressive attitude,” says Maximilian Missoni.
Aerodynamics have been engineered to improve range thanks to hidden design features such as integrated ducts, low-turbulence airflow over the wheels and body sides. The air flow is diverted via the rear lights and reduces the turbulence behind the vehicle.
Sustainability and technology
Polestar O₂ is also progressive in terms of sustainability and technology. A new thermoplastic mono-material characterizes the interior over a large area. The term “mono-material” describes the use of a single basic material for the manufacture of different components. In the Polestar O₂, recycled polyester is the only material used for all soft interior components: foam, adhesive, 3D knit fibers and fleece lamination. This simplifies recycling and is a significant step towards circularity, while reducing weight and waste.
Polestar’s sustainability teams believe that materials should be recycled and refrain from downcycling. In the Polestar O₂, they have integrated a new method for controlling the recycled content and improving the recyclability of metal components. Different grades of aluminum are used throughout the chassis to deliver an exciting driving experience. The different materials are marked so that they can be recycled more effectively and their properties are preserved. High quality aluminum as well as other grades retain their different properties, resulting in higher material efficiency and less need for new aluminium.
Atomic video drone
In a world increasingly dominated by social media, the Polestar O₂ features an autonomous video drone integrated into the vehicle behind the rear seats. Developed in collaboration with Aerofugia’s consumer electronics brand Hoco Flow, the concept drone can be used while driving to record the perfect driving sequence.
Polestar engineers have developed a special wing that rises behind the rear seats, creating an area of negative pressure that allows the drone to take off while in motion. The drone works autonomously and automatically follows the car at a speed of up to 90 km/h. The driver can choose between an atmospheric sequence – ideal for driving along a coast – or a more action-packed sequence with a sportier expression. After filming, the drone can return to the car on its own. When the car is parked, the video clips can be edited and shared directly via the 15-inch center display.
“We wanted to express the experience that you can have with a vehicle like the Polestar O₂ in a new and unusual way,” continues Maximilian Missoni. “Integrating an autonomous film drone has allowed us to push the boundaries of innovation. Not having to stop and unload the drone before filming but being able to use it at high speed is a key benefit of this innovative design.”
Polestar O₂ builds on the solid foundation laid by the Polestar Precept concept car, a vision for the company’s design, technology and sustainability ambitions. Polestar plans to launch three new vehicles over the next three years, starting in 2022, each with the potential to progressively realize some of the ideas presented in these concept vehicles. www.polestar.com
