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When I drove the 2022 Long Range Polestar 2 Single Motor earlier this year, my biggest wish was to try out the dual-motor version to see what this all-electric sedan can really do. I recently got the chance to test out the 2023 Polestar 2, complete with two motors and plenty of design upgrades compared to its 2022 predecessor. Here are my thoughts.

Let’s start with a very quick refresher course on the Polestar 2. It arrived in 2019 as the second model to debut for the EV-centric brand and its first all-electric option. Since then, the Polestar 2 has continued to grow in popularity alongside the brand behind it, helping set the stage for four additional models that will follow, including the recently debuted Polestar 3 SUV.

This past April, the automaker shared details of the upcoming 2023 version of its Polestar 2, including two new exterior colors. To that note, many of the changes for next year’s model are aesthetic upgrades with a focus on sustainability throughout the build process, an ethos Polestar continues to be celebrated for. Here’s how they break down:

  • New exterior colors: Space (metallic black) and Jupiter (gold-gray with red flake)
  • New wheel designs (standard 19″ and optional 20″)
  • Zinc gray color for ventilated Nappa leather upholstery, available with a new Light Ash deco trim
  • Removable sunshade for the panoramic glass roof
  • Improved optimal temperature range for heat pump (included in Plus Pack)
    • Now between 20°F and 77°F
    • Increases real-world EV range in adverse conditions
  • Advanced cabin filter and upgraded interior particulate matter sensor with new in-car app
    • System quantifies exterior air quality improvement in the cabin

Luckily, I was able to get my hands on the 2023 Polestar 2 (a dual motor this time too) and test it out – here are my impressions.

2023 Polestar 2 shines aesthetically, with few spec upgrades

As you can see from the images above and below, my 2023 version of the Polestar 2 came in the new Space exterior and Zinc interior with light ash deco. This model also came equipped with 20″ 5-V spoke black silver alloy wheels (seen above).

I didn’t really notice a difference between Space and the black exterior of the 2022 Polestar 2 I drove, but the lighter interior with Nappa leather is a major upgrade compared to my last loaner.

The lighter colors offer more of an open feeling within the cabin, whether you’re in the driver’s seat or the back. I usually don’t gravitate toward lighter trim, but in the case of the 2023 Polestar 2, I was thoroughly digging the contrast.

There’s not much else to say about the interior, to be honest, as it is minimalistic in true Polestar fashion. The display layout is the same, although I found the UX a lot easier to use than last time. Especially as it pertained to connecting my own phone via Bluetooth. That being said, it ended up being a lot easier to simply use apps like Google Maps and Spotify on the infotainment system. I still prefer to access apps through my phone using Apple CarPlay, but that’s my personal preference.

Next, we will dig into how the 2023 Polestar 2 drove, but first, let’s give you an idea of some of the performance improvements so you can understand what has changed in a year and what hasn’t. Here’s how both powertrain versions of the 2023 Polestar 2 compare to their predecessors:

Polestar 2 Model 2022 Single Motor 2023 Single Motor 2022 Dual Motor 2023 Dual Motor
EPA Range 270 miles 270 miles 249 miles 260 miles
Horsepower 231 HP 231 HP 408 HP 408 HP/
476 HP*
Torque 243 lb-ft 243 lb-ft 487 lb-ft 487 lb-ft/
502 lb-ft*
Starting MSRP $45,900 $48,400 $49,900 $51,900
Pilot Pack Price $3,200 $3,400 $3,200 $3,400
Plus Pack Price $4,000 $4,200 $4,000 $4,200
Performance
Pack Price
N/A N/A $5,000 $5,500
*2023 Performance Pack adds 68 HP and 15 lb-ft torque (available on 2023 Dual Motor Polestar 2 only)

I bolded the specs my version of the Polestar 2 was equipped with, which included the Pilot and Plus Packs, but not the Performance Pack, which offers additional HP and torque. Compared to the 2022 Dual Motor, the 2023 Polestar 2 offers the same performance specs, aside from 11 miles of additional range. (We’ll take it.)

Not the most robust model-year upgrade, but compared to my previous drive in the RWD version, the Dual Motor Polestar 2 is a major step up in performance.

If you get this electric sedan, you’ve gotta go dual motor

As you may recall from my drive in the single-motor Polestar 2 earlier this year, my biggest complaint was its lack of power – a common occurrence in RWD EVs. (Who knew!) The Polestar team heard me loud and clear and made sure I got a dual-motor version this time around.

Having driven both now, I would highly recommend two motors. Polestar’s performance specs are by no means industry-leading to begin with, so you’ll need dual-motor torque and horsepower to truly enjoy the speedy ride this sedan can offer.

Even without the Performance Pack, I was very pleased with the acceleration and drive of the 2023 Polestar 2. I personally love how responsive Polestar’s regenerative braking is, some of the stiffest on the market in my opinion. I’m a huge proponent of one-pedal driving, and the Polestar 2 is perfect for drivers who feel the same. I think I used the brake about three times during my entire time with the EV.

Sitting in the driver’s seat, I found myself a bit low, making it slightly difficult to see other vehicles around me. I didn’t notice that last time I drove the Polestar 2, but I’d call that a minor issue at best. A larger issue for me is the size of the sedan itself.

I still don’t love the compact size of the Polestar 2 for its price tag. While the trunk offers ample cargo room and the seats fold down, I find the cabin itself a little cramped. The front truck is also a bit small for how wide the front end is.

Much of Polestar’s higher price tag relates to premium quality materials, and that’s blatantly obvious if you get inside one. Albeit minimalist, the design of the Polestar 2 is beautiful, well assembled, intuitive, and sturdy.

Personally, I still wouldn’t pay the prices Polestar is charging for either powertrain of the Polestar 2, simply because my EV preferences are focused more on range and nascent technology like 800V platforms, bidirectional charging capabilities, and ADAS. These are categories Polestar could use some improvements in and we could very well see in its upcoming models that have less of parent company Volvo’s fingerprints on them.

All that being said, if I had infinite funds and had to choose, I’d definitely go with the 2023 Dual Motor Polestar 2. Hell, throw the Performance Pack in there too. Who doesn’t love more torque?

Although the Polestar 2 is admittedly not my first choice in a new EV, I cannot deny the granularity of its aesthetic, the quality of its assembly, and the overall smoothness of its ride. If you’re a fan of the brand and its EVs, the 2023 Polestar 2 holds true to its creator’s design progress, and there’s a lot of upsides looking ahead.

I’m very much looking forward to what I get to drive next. I’m thinking it’ll be the Polestar 3, the automaker’s first venture into SUVs. Keep an eye out for that soon!

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Hackers turn Nissan LEAF into full-scale RC car, record drivers’ conversations [video]

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Hackers turn Nissan LEAF into full-scale RC car, record drivers' conversations [video]

A team of white hat European hackers using their brains, keyboards, and a couple of bits and baubles from eBay managed to take control of a 2020 Nissan LEAF and violate just about every privacy and safety regulation in the process.

The best part: they recorded the whole thing.

Budapest-based cybersecurity experts PCAutomotive were able to exploit a number of vulnerabilities in a 2020 Nissan LEAF that enabled the white hat team to geolocate and track the car, record the texts and conversations happening inside the car, playing media back through the car’s speakers, and even (this is the genuinely terrifying dangerous part) turning the steering wheel while the car was moving. (!?)

Maybe the scariest part of this hack, however, is how seemingly easy it was to pull off by starting with a “test bench simulator” built using parts from eBay and exploiting a vulnerability in the LEAF’s DNS C2 channel and Bluetooth protocol.

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The PCAutomotive team gave a hugely detailed 118-page presentation of their exploit at black hat Asia 2025, which we’ve included at the bottom of this post, in case the original link goes dead. If you’re into that sort of thing, the fun stuff starts around page 27. And, if you’re not, just know that all the vulnerabilities were disclosed to Nissan and its suppliers between 02AUG2023 and 12SEP2024 (p. 116/118), and the “attack” itself can be seen in the video below that. Enjoy!

Summary of vulnerabilities

  • CVE-2025-32056 – Anti-Theft bypass
  • CVE-2025-32057 – app_redbend: MiTM attack
  • CVE-2025-32058 – v850: Stack Overflow in CBR processing
  • CVE-2025-32059 – Stack buffer overflow leading to RCE [0]
  • CVE-2025-32060 – Absence of a kernel module signature verification
  • CVE-2025-32061 – Stack buffer overflow leading to RCE [1]
  • CVE-2025-32062 – Stack buffer overflow leading to RCE [2]
  • PCA_NISSAN_009 – Improper traffic filtration between CAN buses
  • CVE-2025-32063 – Persistence for Wi-Fi network
  • PCA_NISSAN_012 – Persistence through CVE-2017-7932 in HAB of i.MX 6

Remote exploitation of Nissan LEAF



Electrek’s Take


Nissan-Bolt-EV-LEAF
2024 Nissan LEAF; via Nissan.

This is one of those posts that, on the bright side, does a great job explaining how a remote operator can “log in” to a vehicle and steer it out of trouble when a weird or edge-case-type situation pops up.

Unfortunately, this is also one of those posts that some of the more clueless anti-EV hysterics will point to and say, “See!? EVs can get hacked!” But the reality is that virtually any car with electric power steering (EPS), electronic throttle controls, brake-by-wire, etc. can be hacked in a similar way. But, while steering a target’s car into an oncoming semi might be a great way to pull off a covert CIA assassination, the more worrying issue here is the breach of privacy and recording – unless you want to spend some time in El Salvadoran prison, I guess.

Remember, kids: Big Brother is watching you.

SOURCE | IMAGES: black hat.


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A vast new UK battery plant just secured £1B to power 100k EVs

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A vast new UK battery plant just secured £1B to power 100k EVs

A major new EV battery factory is being built in Sunderland, bringing 1,000 new jobs with it. AESC, Nissan’s battery partner, is behind the £1 billion ($1.33 billion) plant, which will boost the UK’s EV battery production by six times, enough to power 100,000 electric cars annually.

The 12 GWh capacity plant, AESC’s second battery plant in Sunderland, will be powered by 100% net-zero carbon energy. That big jump in capacity helps position Britain as a global player in EV manufacturing while pushing forward the country’s net-zero goals.

The investment is getting a serious financial lift from the British government. Through a combination of support from the National Wealth Fund and UK Export Finance, the project is unlocking £680 million in financing from major banks, including HSBC, Standard Chartered, SMBC Group, Societe Generale, and BBVA, that covers the construction and operation of the battery factory. Another £320 million is coming from private investment and fresh equity from AESC. On top of all that, the government’s Automotive Transformation Fund is pitching in with £150 million in grant funding.

This deal follows closely on the heels of the new UK-US trade agreement announced a day earlier, which cuts car export tariffs from 27.5% down to 10% for up to 100,000 UK-made vehicles – nearly the total number exported last year. That move could save car companies hundreds of millions of pounds and help protect good-paying jobs in manufacturing hubs like Sunderland.

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Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves visited AESC in Sunderland, where she met with staff and local leaders to discuss what this means for the Northeast and the British car industry.

“This investment follows hot on the heels of yesterday’s landmark economic deal with the US, which will save thousands of jobs in the industry,” Reeves said.

Read more: UK unveils largest curbside EV charger installation of 6,000 ports


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Ford is facing a worker strike at its EV plant in Germany: Here’s why

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Ford is facing a worker strike at its EV plant in Germany: Here's why

It’s about the future of their jobs. Ford workers at two plants in western Germany are set to go on strike on Wednesday, their works council chief said on Monday.

Ford is facing a worker strike in Germany

In November, Ford announced it would cut around 4,000 jobs in Europe by 2027 as part of a restructuring, primarily in Germany and the UK. That’s still about 14% of its European workforce.

The American automaker said the move comes after it has incurred “significant losses” in recent years and a “highly disruptive market” with new EVs quickly gaining market share.

Ford blamed slower-than-expected demand for electric vehicles and a weak economic situation. It also plans to slow production at its Cologne EV plant, where the electric Explorer and Capri are built.

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Last week, IG Metall members voted in favor of “industrial action” with 93.5% of votes in favor of a strike. “Ford must act now—otherwise, we will go through with it,” said Kerstin D. Klein, Chief Representative of IG Metall Cologne-Leverkusen.

Ford-worker-strike
Ford Explorer EV production in Cologne (Source: Ford)

Ford is facing an influx of new competition, including Chinese EV makers like BYD. BYD’s overseas sales are surging with a fifth straight month of growth in April.

BYD even outsold Tesla in Germany last month, with 1,566 vehicles registered. In comparison, Tesla had just 855, and Ford saw 9,534 registrations.

Ford-worker-strike
Ford’s electric vehicles in Europe from left to right: Puma Gen-E, Explorer, Capri, and Mustang Mach-E (Source: Ford)

On top of this, Ford, like most of the industry, is preparing for more disruption with Trump’s auto tariffs. After releasing Q1 earnings last week, Ford warned that the tariffs could cost up to $2.5 billion this year.

During Ford’s earnings call, CFO Sherry House said that recent EV launches in Europe, including the Explorer, Capri, and Puma Gen-E, helped more than double Model e’s wholesale volume in Q1.

After early success in the US, Ford also launched its “Power Promise” promotion in Europe, offering EV buyers a free home charger and several other perks.

Source: Reuters

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