Is Polestar as Good as Tesla?
Tesla has made quite a name for itself lately, which often is both a good and bad thing. The Palo-Alto-based brand now has many challengers rising to meet it as consumer demand for EVs amplifies. However, is it even possible to overthrow the brand that Elon Musk has managed to turn into not only a status symbol but an incredibly successful company? Polestar wants to try.
Who makes Polestar?
But who the hell is Polestar anyway? Well, the answer to that is actually kind of complicated. It starts with Chinese company Geely. A while back, they bought Volvo, the Swedish carmaker we all know and love. Then, as part of Volvo’s ever-expanding sustainability initiative, Polestar was created. Sort of. Polestar used to be Volvo’s “go fast” group until they got turned into the EV company we know today.
Let’s start then, with the brand’s Model 3 fighter, the Polestar 2. Basically, it’s a slightly lifted sedan sold at a premium price point. However, low-trim models are built to undercut the Model 3. You can have a 2 that starts at around $35,000 and has a hair more range than a Model 3. It would appear the Swedish brand isn’t off to a bad start.
You can’t say that Tesla is the last word in EVs anymore
Of course, the Swedish aren’t the only ones bringing the fight to Tesla anymore. Now, Rivian makes one hell of an EV truck/SUV to compete with Palo Alto’s fanciful Cybertruck. Moreover, Lucid might just blow the Model S out of the water with the Lucid Air. But back to Polestar. The 2 isn’t the only car the brand makes. They’ve also got a halo car called the Polestar 1. It’s very fast and very pretty.
However, Tesla is making strides where Polestar simply isn’t. Currently, despite their well-deserved criticism, Musk and Co. are pushing further and further into the field of autonomous driving. Frankly, the Swedish brand simply isn’t. However, you can option adaptive cruise on a Polestar, which really, is all I want until we can get Teslas to stop crashing into things while “self-driving.”
The Swedes need to broaden their lineup to compete
All this to say nothing of the rest of Tesla’s lineup. Frankly, Tesla just does more. They make more cars, sell more cars, and make them go faster. Cars like the Model X and Model Y add SUV practicality that Polestar simply doesn’t have in their arsenal yet. However, my money goes to Polestar for its sustainability push. There’s no animal byproducts in their cars and it would appear the brand is taking real steps to push towards a greener future. And with an SUV on the way, it looks that Tesla is in trouble, even if they’re at the top for now.
