What is the Polestar 1?
The Polestar 1 is a two-door plug-in hybrid grand touring coupé. Its low roof, sculpted lines and carbon-fibre body give it a distinctive shape, while its hybrid powertrain brings electric drive together with a petrol engine. It was the first model from Polestar as a standalone electric performance car brand, following the company’s roots as a Volvo performance partner.
The first generation ran from 2020 to 2022. Polestar conceived the 1 as a low-volume model, built at its production centre in Chengdu, China. Its coupé form set it apart from the more practical Polestar 2 fastback.
Generations and design
The Polestar 1 had one generation, sold from 2020 to 2022. It brought Polestar’s performance focus and electrification together in a grand tourer rather than a conventional family car. The design has a long bonnet, low roofline and two-door cabin, with carbon-fibre body panels as a notable feature. Production ended after a planned three-year run.
Engines and power
The Polestar 1 used a 2.0-litre plug-in hybrid powertrain. In the listed market specifications, the petrol engine is rated at 227 kW (309 PS). Electric motors also contribute to the car’s combined output, so the engine figure alone does not describe the full system. The plug-in system can be charged from an external power source and allows some journeys to be driven on electric power.
How economical is the Polestar 1?
Official figures vary by market because test procedures differ: Europe uses WLTP or the older NEDC, the United States uses EPA testing, and Canada uses its five-cycle procedure. The Polestar 1’s EU WLTP weighted plug-in hybrid figure is 0.6 L/100 km. This figure assumes that part of the driving is electric, so it does not represent petrol use on every journey.
The US EPA figure is 9 L/100 km, while Canada’s NRCan five-cycle figure is 9.2 L/100 km. The different test procedures and assumptions mean these figures are not directly comparable.
Where was the Polestar 1 sold?
The Polestar 1 appears in official figures for the European Union, the United States and Canada. EU registrations span 2020 to 2022; US EPA figures cover 2020 and 2021, and Canadian NRCan figures cover 2021. EU registrations were 168 in 2020, 118 in 2021 and 64 in 2022.
Questions and answers
What kind of car is the Polestar 1?
It is a two-door plug-in hybrid grand touring coupé from Polestar’s first generation of cars.
What engine does the Polestar 1 have?
It has a 2.0-litre plug-in hybrid powertrain. The listed petrol engine output is 227 kW (309 PS).
What is the Polestar 1’s official fuel consumption?
The weighted plug-in hybrid figure is 0.6 L/100 km under EU WLTP, 9 L/100 km under the US EPA procedure and 9.2 L/100 km under Canada’s NRCan five-cycle procedure.
When was the Polestar 1 sold?
Its first generation ran from 2020 to 2022. EU registration figures cover those years, while US figures cover 2020–2021 and Canadian figures cover 2021.