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A more affordable Polestar electric SUV is set to launch by the end of the year. Polestar (PSNY) will unveil a cheaper, entry-level Polestar 3 model to compete with Tesla and Porsche. Here’s what we know so far.

Meet the Polestar’s new electric SUV

With the Polestar 3 expected to begin rolling out in the US in the coming months, the automaker is already planning to launch a cheaper option for buyers.

Polestar 3 production began in April in Chengdu, China, a few months ago, with additional production in South Carolina expected to start in mid-2024. Polestar has already successfully completed early production tests in the US.

The Polestar 3 will be the company’s first EV built on two continents as the brand looks to expand in major markets globally.

The entry-level Long Range Dual Motor was expected to start at $83,900 with up to 300 miles EPA range. However, in March, Polestar announced a new starting MSRP of $73,400 with Pilot Pack included as standard on all trims.

Polestar expects deliveries of the standard Long Range Dual Motor to begin in the second quarter of 2024.

2025 Polestar 3 trim Estimated EPA range (Combined) Power Torque Price
Long Range Dual Motor with Pilot Pack 315 miles 489 hp 620 lb-ft $73,400
Long Range Dual Motor with Pilot Pack and Plus Pack 315 miles 489 hp 620 lb-ft $78,900
Long Range Dual Motor with Pilot and Performance Pack 279 miles 517 hp 671 lb-ft $79,400
Long Range Dual Motor with Pilot, Plus, and Performance Pack 279 miles 517 hp 671 lb-ft $84,900
Polestar 3 price and specs by trim (*not including $1,400 destination fee)

The company also revealed that the Polestar 3 is eligible for its $7,500 Polestar Clean Vehicle Incentive on leases, potentially bringing prices as low as $65,900.

The Polestar 3 Long Range Dual Motor with standard Pilot Pack and optional Plus Pack starts at $78,900. Polestar’s Plus Pack includes a 1,610-watt Bowers and Wilkins sound system, 21″ wheels, bio-attributed MicroTech, and heated rear seats.

Cheaper-Polestar-3
Polestar 3 prototype (Source: Polestar)

Polestar’s Long Rang Dual Motor model boasts up to 489 hp and 620 lb-ft of torque with 315 EPA estimated miles range.

For added performance, the Polestar 3 with Performance Pack is available for $79,400. This boosts output to 517 hp and 671 lb-ft of torque for a 0 to 60 mpg sprint in 4.6 seconds. It also includes “Swedish Gold” accents, 22″ performance wheels, and Polestar-engineered chassis tuning.

Cheaper-Polestar-3
Polestar 3 prototype (Source: Polestar)

Polestar to launch cheaper Polestar 3 variant

Polestar confirmed a cheaper Polestar 3 will join the lineup by the end of the year as the new base model.

Speaking with the media, Polestar’s global head of communications, Brent Ellis, said, “Later this year, the single-motor version of the Polestar 3 will be available.”

Polestar-3
Polestar 3 electric SUV (Source: Polestar)

Ellis added, “It will be rear-wheel drive, and we will have more details a few months from now when the time comes to launch.”

Although details and pricing are yet to be revealed, Polestar’s product manager told Drive the RWD model will use the same rear electric motor as the AWD Long Range Dual Motor model with 180 kW (241 hp).

Like the other trims, the RWD model will feature a 111 kWh battery pack, which should see increased range.

Polestar-3
Polestar 3 interior (Source: Polestar)

Polestar 3 deliveries are expected to kick off in Australia in June 2024. However, it will be a true electric five-seater. Ellis confirmed, “There’s not going to be a seven-seater at any point.”

The cheaper model will likely launch in the US and other global markets. More details are expected closer to its official debut. Check back for more info soon.

Electrek’s Take

Although Polestar claims Tesla is not the competition (more like Porsche’s new Macan EV), a cheaper electric SUV could help it keep pace with Tesla’s best-selling Model Y.

Tesla’s RWD Model Y starts at $44,990 with up to 320 miles range. The Long Range AWD model costs $47,990 with up to 310 miles range. Meanwhile, the Performance variant starts at $51,490 with a 0 to 60 mph sprint in 3.5 seconds. With the $7,500 EV tax credit, Tesla Model Y prices start at as low as $37,490.

Which one would you buy? The Tesla Model Y or the Polestar 3 (or Porsche Macan EV)? Drop us a comment below.

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Tesla’s retro-futuristic diner and Supercharger is here and it looks sick

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Tesla's retro-futuristic diner and Supercharger is here and it looks sick

Tesla’s retro-futuristic diner with Superchargers and giant movie screens is ready to open, and I have to admit, it looks pretty sick.

This project has been in the works for a long time.

In 2018, Elon Musk said that Tesla planned to open an “old school drive-in, roller skates & rock restaurant at one of the new Tesla Supercharger locations in Los Angeles.” It was yet another “Is he joking?” kind of Elon Musk idea, but he wasn’t kidding.

A few months later, Tesla applied for building permits for “a restaurant and Supercharger station” at a location in Santa Monica. However, the project stalled for a long time, apparently due to local regulations.

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Nevertheless, Tesla still moved forward with a Supercharger at the location, but it had to move the diner project to Hollywood. In 2022, Tesla filed the construction plans with the city, giving us the first look at what the automaker intends to build.

In 2023, the automaker broke ground on the site of the diner.

7 years after being originally announced, the project appears now ready to open:

Musk said that he ate at the diner last night and claimed that it is “one of the coolest spots in LA.” He didn’t say when it will open, but Tesla vehicles have been spotted at Supercharger and people appear to be testing the dinning experience inside.

A Tesla Optimus Robot can be seen inside the diner on a test rack. It looks like Tesla might use one for some tasks inside the diner.

Earlier this year, Tesla integrated the diner into its mobile app – hinting at some interaction through the app – possibly ordering from it.

Electrek’s Take

I think it looks pretty cool. I am a fan of the design and concept.

However, considering the state of the Tesla community, I don’t think I’d like the vibes. That said, it looks like Tesla isn’t prominently pushing its branding on the diner.

You can come and charge there, but it looks like Tesla is also aiming to get a wider clientele just for dining.

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Westinghouse plans to build 10 large nuclear reactors in U.S., interim CEO tells Trump

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Westinghouse plans to build 10 large nuclear reactors in U.S., interim CEO tells Trump

Plant Vogtle Nuclear Power Plant in Waynesboro, GA, August 15, 2024.

Van Applegate | CNBC

Westinghouse plans to build 10 large nuclear reactors in the U.S. with construction to begin by 2030, interim CEO Dan Sumner told President Donald Trump at a roundtable in Pittsburgh on Tuesday.

Westinghouse’s big AP1000 reactor generates enough electricity to power more than 750,000 homes, according to the company. Building 10 of these reactors would drive $75 billion of economic value across the U.S. and $6 billion in Pennsylvania, Sumner said.

The Westinghouse executive laid out the plan to Trump during a conference on energy and artificial intelligence at Carnegie Mellon University. Technology, energy and financial executives announced more than $90 billion of investment in data centers and power infrastructure at the conference, according to the office of Sen. Dave McCormick, who organized the event.

Trump issued four executive orders in May that aim to quadruple nuclear power in the U.S. by 2050. The president called for the U.S. to have 10 nuclear plants under construction by 2050. He ordered a “wholesale revision” of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s rules and guidelines.

The U.S. has built only two new nuclear reactors over the past 30 years, both of which were Westinghouse AP1000s at Plant Vogtle in Waynesboro, Georgia. The project notoriously came in $18 billion over budget and seven years behind schedule, contributing to the bankruptcy of Westinghouse.

The industry stalwart emerged from bankruptcy in 2018 and us now owned by Canadian uranium miner Cameco and Brookfield Asset Management.

Westinghouse announced a partnership with Google on Tuesday to use AI tools to make the construction of AP1000s an “efficient, repeatable process,” according to the company.

Catch up on the latest energy news from CNBC Pro:

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Hyundai’s electric minivan sheds its camo: Check out the new Staria EV

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Hyundai's electric minivan sheds its camo: Check out the new Staria EV

Hyundai’s electric minivan is finally out in the open. The Staria EV was caught without camo near Hyundai’s R&D center in Korea, giving us a closer look at the electric minivan undisguised.

Hyundai’s electric minivan drops camo ahead of debut

The Staria arrived in 2021 as the successor to the Starex, Hyundai’s multi-purpose vehicle (MPV). Although the Staria has received several updates throughout the years, 2026 will be its biggest by far.

Hyundai will launch the Staria EV, its first electric minivan. Like the current model, the 2026 Staria will be available in several different configurations, including cargo, passenger, and even a camper version.

We’ve seen the Staria EV out in public a few times already. Last month, we got a glimpse of it while driving on public roads in Korea.

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Despite the camouflage, new EV-like design elements were visible, including updated LED headlights and a full-length light bar. Although it’s still unclear, the electric version appears to be roughly the same size as the current Staria from the side, but slightly wider from the front.

New images posted on the South Korean forum Clien reveal a test car, expected to be Hyundai’s Staria electric minivan, without camo.

Like most Hyundai test cars, the prototype has a black front and a grey body. It still features a similar look to other prototypes we’ve seen, but you can clearly see the new facelift.

Earlier this year, a Staria EV was spotted in a parking lot in Korea, featuring a similar look. The electric version is nearly identical to the Staria Lounge, but with an added charge port and closed-off grille.

The Hyundai Staria EV is expected to make its global debut later this year. Technical details have yet to be revealed, but it’s expected to feature either a 76 kWh or 84 kWh battery, providing a range of around 350 km (217 miles) to 400 km (249 miles).

Hyundai's-first-electric-minivan
Hyundai Staria Lounge (Source: Hyundai)

Hyundai’s electric SUV arrives after Kia introduced its first electric van, the PV5, which launched in Europe and Korea earlier this year.

In Europe, the Kia Passenger PV5 model is available with two battery pack options: 51.5 kWh and 71.2 kWh, providing WLTP ranges of 179 miles and 249 miles, respectively. The Cargo version has a WLTP range of 181 miles or 247 miles.

Source: TheKoreanCarBlog, Clien

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