For a lot of people Tesla is considered the reference point in the industry when it comes to electric vehicles. The American car maker has been doing the whole EV thing for a while now and so far it worked out. Its cars are considered some of the most efficient out there today and that’s not by mistake. A new age is starting though and competition is bound to get fierce, with manufacturers like Polestar gunning for Tesla’s number 1 spot.
The Polestar 2 might actually have already overtaken the Tesla Model 3 in one key area, at least according to the range tests performed by the EPA. This week, the agency published some updated range test results and the Polestar 2 in Long Range, Single Motor configuration, has been credited with having a range of 270 miles. That’s one of the best figures in its class but that’s not all. With a 270-mile estimate, the Polestar 2 beat the king of the segment, the Tesla Model 3 RWD by 7 miles. It may not be much, but something tells me that there was a celebration happening in Sweden today.
Bang per buck, the Tesla Model 3 is technically less expensive due to its base price of $44,900. However, the American car doesn’t qualify for the federal tax credit. As a result, the $45,900 Polestar 2 is a better offer right now, as the $7,500 rebate it can get reduces the price to $38,400.
Of course, the Model 3 has some advantages over the Polestar 2 because it is rear-wheel drive rather than front-wheel drive. The Tesla is also substantially faster, taking 5.8 seconds to reach 60 mph, which is 1.2 seconds faster than the Polestar. On the other hand, the Swedish company also stated that a new over-the-air update is currently flowing out to U.S. consumers, in addition to releasing the EPA range for the single motor configuration.
It includes “improvements” to the driver assistance systems as well as the option to plan charging sessions so that owners can take advantage of lower charging prices during off-peak hours. While all that may sound nice, the performance upgrade it also brings to the table is even nicer. With this new software, the Polestar 2 gains some 67 HP and 15 lb-ft of torque.
