Polestar aims to dethrone Porsche 911 in dynamic driving with new electric sports car
Polestar (PSNY) is gearing up to launch its new electric sports car, the Polestar 6, in 2026. The Swedish electric vehicle maker calls it “the future of the sports car,” as Polestar wants it to go head-to-head against the Porsche 911 in dynamic driving.
Backed by auto industry veterans Volvo and Geely, Polestar has made an exciting entrance into the electric vehicle market.
With a focus on sustainability, not only from the vehicle’s emissions but throughout its entire life cycle, Polestar is building some of the most eco-friendly cars on the road.
The Polestar 2, the automaker’s first fully electric model, was introduced in 2019 and has continuously built momentum with progressive upgrades each year.
Polestar expanded its portfolio this fall, releasing the Polestar 3, the brand’s first electric SUV with a 300-mile range, in October. As the company’s CEO, Thomas Ingelath, said during the company’s third-quarter earnings:
We [Polestar] are a real [electric] car company, we are in production, we are putting cars on the road today, and we are delivering.
The Polestar 4, the company’s second SUV, is slated to launch in 2023, while its original concept, the Precept, will follow up as the Polestar 5 in 2024.
Meanwhile, the automaker’s 2+2 electric roadster that debuted as the O₂ concept is set to come to life as the Polestar 6, or what they call “a new era for sports cars.” Although Polestar 6 production is planned for 2026, the company is “benchmarking this [electric sports car] against a Porsche.”
Polestar’s electric sports car set to take on Porsche 911, Taycan
According to new details Edward Trinh, Polestar Australia’s Product Planning Manager revealed to Drive at a Melbourne event showcasing the automaker’s electric sports car, the Polestar 6 will Rival Porsche models.
Trinh said at the event:
We’re benchmarking this dynamically against a Porsche. [The] 911, the Taycan – they’re the types of cars we’re looking at. We believe they’re the benchmarks in the industry for vehicle dynamics.
The Polestar 6 will feature a dual motor (884 hp and 663 lb-ft) AWD electric architecture (800V) with a target 0 to 62 mph (0 to 100 km/h) time of 3.2 seconds and a top speed of 155 mph.
Trinh adds Polestar’s R&D team is “incredibly serious” about including superior driving dynamics, stating:
Speaking to the R&D team, we got a bit of insider information from the head of vehicle dynamics for this vehicle [that] they’re looking [into] trick suspension systems.
With Polestar’s performance history, Trinh says, “It needs to handle. Vehicle dynamics is our background, we don’t forget about that heritage.”
The two-door electric sports car will feature an aluminum unibody for maximum strength and ideal weight, often found “on a Mclaren or a Lotus,” according to Trinh. Perhaps, more importantly, all types of aluminum will be labeled “so it’s easy to recycle.”
The automaker’s sustainability mission will be on display in the Polestar 6, as Trinh adds:
It’s not just about carbon neutrality, it’s about circularity, so we’re making cars that are easier to service, easier to repair, easier to recycle.
Electrek’s Take
Can Polestar’s electric roadster dethrone the Porsche 911? Don’t count out Polestar yet, as the company was initially a racing team.
Porsche’s 911 can achieve 0 to 62 mph in under 3 seconds, but Polestar still has a few years to perfect their first electric sports car. EVs offer the opportunity for higher performance with instant torque and acceleration.
Meanwhile, Porsche has also been in the lab creating its own electric sports. What looks like a Porsche 718 Boxster was spotted testing in Germany. (You can read more about that here.)
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
Wind energy powered 20% of all electricity consumed in Europe (19% in the EU) in 2024, and the EU has set a goal to grow this share to 34% by 2030 and more than 50% by 2050.
To stay on track, the EU needs to install 30 GW of new wind farms annually, but it only managed 13 GW in 2024 – 11.4 GW onshore and 1.4 GW offshore. This is what’s holding the EU back from achieving its wind growth goals.
Three big problems holding Europe’s wind power back
Europe’s wind power growth is stalling for three key reasons:
Permitting delays. Many governments haven’t implemented the EU’s new permitting rules, making it harder for projects to move forward.
Grid connection bottlenecks. Over 500 GW(!) of potential wind capacity is stuck in grid connection queues.
Slow electrification. Europe’s economy isn’t electrifying fast enough to drive demand for more renewable energy.
Brussels-based trade association WindEurope CEO Giles Dickson summed it up: “The EU must urgently tackle all three problems. More wind means cheaper power, which means increased competitiveness.”
Permitting: Germany sets the standard
Permitting remains a massive roadblock, despite new EU rules aimed at streamlining the process. In fact, the situation worsened in 2024 in many countries. The bright spot? Germany. By embracing the EU’s permitting rules — with measures like binding deadlines and treating wind energy as a public interest priority — Germany approved a record 15 GW of new onshore wind in 2024. That’s seven times more than five years ago.
If other governments follow Germany’s lead, Europe could unlock the full potential of wind energy and bolster energy security.
Grid connections: a growing crisis
Access to the electricity grid is now the biggest obstacle to deploying wind energy. And it’s not just about long queues — Europe’s grid infrastructure isn’t expanding fast enough to keep up with demand. A glaring example is Germany’s 900-megawatt (MW) Borkum Riffgrund 3 offshore wind farm. The turbines are ready to go, but the grid connection won’t be in place until 2026.
This issue isn’t isolated. Governments need to accelerate grid expansion if they’re serious about meeting renewable energy targets.
Electrification: falling behind
Wind energy’s growth is also tied to how quickly Europe electrifies its economy. Right now, electricity accounts for just 23% of the EU’s total energy consumption. That needs to jump to 61% by 2050 to align with climate goals. However, electrification efforts in key sectors like transportation, heating, and industry are moving too slowly.
European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen has tasked Energy Commissioner Dan Jørgensen with crafting an Electrification Action Plan. That can’t come soon enough.
More wind farms awarded, but challenges persist
On a positive note, governments across Europe awarded a record 37 GW of new wind capacity (29 GW in the EU) in 2024. But without faster permitting, better grid connections, and increased electrification, these awards won’t translate into the clean energy-producing wind farms Europe desperately needs.
Investments and corporate interest
Investments in wind energy totaled €31 billion in 2024, financing 19 GW of new capacity. While onshore wind investments remained strong at €24 billion, offshore wind funding saw a dip. Final investment decisions for offshore projects remain challenging due to slow permitting and grid delays.
Corporate consumers continue to show strong interest in wind energy. Half of all electricity contracted under Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) in 2024 was wind. Dedicated wind PPAs were 4 GW out of a total of 12 GW of renewable PPAs.
Read more: Renewables could meet almost half of global electricity demand by 2030 – IEA
If you live in an area that has frequent natural disaster events, and are interested in making your home more resilient to power outages, consider going solar and adding a battery storage system. To make sure you find a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing, check out EnergySage, a free service that makes it easy for you to go solar. They have hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high quality solutions and save 20-30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it’s free to use and you won’t get sales calls until you select an installer and share your phone number with them.
Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisers to help you every step of the way. Get started here. –trusted affiliate link*
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
In the Electrek Podcast, we discuss the most popular news in the world of sustainable transport and energy. In this week’s episode, we discuss the official unveiling of the new Tesla Model Y, Mazda 6e, Aptera solar car production-intent, and more.
The show is live every Friday at 4 p.m. ET on Electrek’s YouTube channel.
As a reminder, we’ll have an accompanying post, like this one, on the site with an embedded link to the live stream. Head to the YouTube channel to get your questions and comments in.
After the show ends at around 5 p.m. ET, the video will be archived on YouTube and the audio on all your favorite podcast apps:
We now have a Patreon if you want to help us avoid more ads and invest more in our content. We have some awesome gifts for our Patreons and more coming.
Here are a few of the articles that we will discuss during the podcast:
Here’s the live stream for today’s episode starting at 4:00 p.m. ET (or the video after 5 p.m. ET):
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
The Chinese EV leader is launching a new flagship electric sedan. BYD’s new Han L EV leaked in China on Friday, revealing a potential Tesla Model S Plaid challenger.
What we know about the BYD Han L EV so far
We knew it was coming soon after BYD teased the Han L on social media a few days ago. Now, we are learning more about what to expect.
BYD’s new electric sedan appeared in China’s latest Ministry of Industry and Information Tech (MIIT) filing, a catalog of new vehicles that will soon be sold.
The filing revealed four versions, including two EV and two PHEV models. The Han L EV will be available in single- and dual-motor configurations. With a peak power of 580 kW (777 hp), the single-motor model packs more power than expected.
BYD’s dual-motor Han L gains an additional 230 kW (308 hp) front-mounted motor. As CnEVPost pointed out, the vehicle’s back has a “2.7S” badge, which suggests a 0 to 100 km/h (0 to 62 mph) sprint time of just 2.7 seconds.
To put that into perspective, the Tesla Model S Plaid can accelerate from 0 to 100 km in 2.1 seconds. In China, the Model S Plaid starts at RBM 814,900, or over $110,000. Speaking of Tesla, the EV leader just unveiled its highly anticipated Model Y “Juniper” refresh in China on Thursday. It starts at RMB 263,500 ($36,000).
BYD already sells the Han EV in China, starting at around RMB 200,000. However, the single front motor, with a peak power of 180 kW, is much less potent than the “L” model. The Han EV can accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in 7.9 seconds.
At 5,050 mm long, 1,960 mm wide, and 1,505 mm tall with a wheelbase of 2,970 mm, BYD’s new Han L is roughly the size of the Model Y (4,970 mm long, 1,964 mm wide, 1,445 mm tall, wheelbase of 2,960 mm).
Other than that it will use a lithium iron phosphate (LFP) pack from BYD’s FinDreams unit, no other battery specs were revealed. Check back soon for the full rundown.
Source: CnEVPost, China MIIT
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
-
Sports2 years ago‘Storybook stuff’: Inside the night Bryce Harper sent the Phillies to the World Series
-
Sports9 months agoStory injured on diving stop, exits Red Sox game
-
Sports1 year agoGame 1 of WS least-watched in recorded history
-
Sports2 years agoMLB Rank 2023: Ranking baseball’s top 100 players
-
Sports3 years ago
Team Europe easily wins 4th straight Laver Cup
-
Environment2 years agoJapan and South Korea have a lot at stake in a free and open South China Sea
-
Environment2 years agoGame-changing Lectric XPedition launched as affordable electric cargo bike
-
Business2 years agoBank of England’s extraordinary response to government policy is almost unthinkable | Ed Conway