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Polestar, the former sports division of Volvo Cars, confirms the production of its Concept O₂, an electric convertible convertible. It is hoped that, by its arrival in 2026, Polestar and Citroën will have settled their dispute over the Chinese manufacturer’s logo.
Since 2017, the Tesla Roadster, a Targa with its sliding roof on the back, has been waiting. The opportunity for some car manufacturers to try their luck in the field of electric convertibles.
This is the case of MG Motor which, at the Shanghai Motor Show in April 2021, unveiled the Cyberster, a 100% electric concept paying homage to the MG B roadster of the 1960s. The Chinese manufacturer, which belongs to the group SAIC Motor, has planned to market a production version of the Cyberster concept on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the brand.
Last March, it was the turn of Polestar, the former sports division of Volvo that has become a fully-fledged brand focused on electrics, to create a sensation with its Concept O₂. It is a 2+2 convertible with a retractable hardtop. The Concept O₂ takes up the lines of another concept car, the Precept, which foreshadows the future Polestar 5, an electric GT whose arrival is scheduled for 2024.
Officially baptized Polestar 6, the electric convertible owes its production launch to the enthusiasm of the specialized press and, above all, of customers. This is confirmed by Thomas Ingenlath, CEO of Polestar: “(…) we made the decision to put this amazing roadster into production, and I’m so excited to make it a reality”.
With an aluminum body, the future Polestar 6 should be equipped with a new powertrain (800 V architecture) developed in-house. It consists of two electric motors whose power can reach 475 kW (645 hp) for a torque of 900 Nm. The 0 to 100 km/h is announced for 3.2 sec. As for the electric battery, whose capacity is unknown, its location has not yet been defined: in the floor or behind the seats.
A first edition limited to 500 copies
To celebrate the launch of this Polestar 6, a special numbered version of 500 copies, “LA Concept”, will be marketed at an estimated price of $200,000. This limited edition will feature a blue livery accompanied by 21-inch rims, while the interior will be dressed in light leather. Customers can already make a reservation, knowing that the electric convertible will not arrive before 2026.
We hope that, by then, Polestar and Citroën will have found an arrangement concerning the logo of the Chinese manufacturer which would look a little too much like the double chevron…