2024 Polestar 2 price and specs: Up to $3500 dearer

The updated 2024 Polestar 2 electric car is due to open for orders in Australia next week ahead of showroom arrivals due later this year.

The second update for the Polestar 2 – from Volvo's electric-car spin-off brand – in 18 months brings more driving range, quicker charging, and new electric motors that see two-wheel-drive models switch from front- to rear-wheel drive – but price rises of up to $3500.

Polestar – related to Volvo, which built its reputation on safety – has also moved blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert from a $3400 option pack to standard equipment, after the technologies were standard on work utes and city hatchbacks half the price.

Prices have risen by between $2400 and $3500 for the 2024 update – compounding price hikes of $3500 to $4000 introduced with the 2023 model this time last year.

The Polestar 2 launched in Australia in early 2022 priced from $59,900 plus on-road costs; now the base model is listed as $67,400 plus on-road costs (or more than $70,000 drive-away).

Other newly-standard features for 2024 include side parking sensors, a 360-degree camera, wireless phone charging, and auto-dimming side mirrors. Adaptive cruise control remains an optional extra.

All models receive upgrades to their electric motors, charging speeds and battery packs – as well as mild visual changes.

The pair of two-wheel-drive models now power the rear wheels – rather than the fronts – mirroring upgrades to the related Volvo XC40 and C40 Recharge electric SUVs.

Powering the Standard Range Single Motor is now a 220kW/490Nm rear electric motor – up from a 170kW/330Nm front motor previously – and a 69kWh (gross capacity; or 67kWh usable) nickel-manganese-cobalt battery with the same capacity as before, but improved cell chemistry.

Polestar claims up to 532km of driving range in European WLTP lab testing (up from 478km) and an estimated 0-100km/h acceleration time of 6.4 seconds.

The Long Range Single Motor pairs the same new rear electric motor with a 82kWh gross/78kWh usable battery – up from 78kWh gross/75kWh usable in the 2023 model – for 0-100km/h in a claimed 6.2 seconds, and up to 654km of claimed WLTP range (up from 551km).

The top-of-the-range Long Range Dual Motor combines the larger battery with dual electric motors, which now send more power to the rear wheels than the fronts, and develop 310kW and 740Nm – compared to 300kW and 660Nm previously.

With the rear motor now the primary drive unit – and a system that can disconnect the front motor when it isn't needed – Polestar claims 0-100km/h in 4.5 seconds (vs 4.7sec previously), and up to 591km of claimed WLTP range.

Long Range Dual Motor buyers can option the $9000 Performance Pack, which is $1000 dearer than before as it now includes a downloadable Performance Software Upgrade that was previously a $1600 standalone option.

It lifts power to 350kW, and cuts the 0-100km/h time to 4.2sec (previously 4.4sec).

The latest WLTP driving-range claims quoted by Polestar are higher than those announced at the 2024 model's unveiling in January, when the Standard Range Single Motor listed 518km, the Long Range Single Motor claimed 635km, and the Long Range Dual Motor quoted 592km.

All models can charge faster, at up to 135kW for the standard-range battery (up from 130kW), and up to 205kW for the long-range battery (up from 155kW) – for claimed 10 to 80 per cent recharge times of 34 minutes and 28 minutes respectively.

Visual changes for 2024 are limited to a body-coloured front grille inspired by the Polestar 3 SUV – which houses many of the vehicle's sensors – and new 20-inch wheels for the Performance Pack, intended to resemble the Polestar 3 Performance Pack's 22-inch alloys.

Matrix LED headlights have returned to the Pilot Pack, after they were removed in 2022 – alongside cornering functionality for the LED fog lights – and the price was cut from $5000 to $3400.

The new price for the Pilot Pack – which also includes adaptive cruise control and lane centring assist – is $3400, as blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, side parking sensors and 360-degree camera features previously in the package are now standard equipment.

The $6000 Plus Pack now includes a hands-free kick sensor for the standard power tailgate, as well as a Digital Key allowing owners to unlock the car from their smartphone.

Orders for the 2024 Polestar 2 in Australia are due to open next Wednesday 5 July, ahead of first deliveries due by the end of September 2023.

Note: All prices above exclude on-road costs / are drive-away.