Polestar’s Precept concept becomes Polestar 5 electric sedan

Polestar teased its gorgeous sedan concept, the Polestar Precept, giving it a new name — Polestar 5 — and a 2024 production date.

The company first revealed the Precept in concept form back in February, with sporty intentions, a software system powered by Google’s Android, and an interior chock-full of sustainable material. This week, Polestar posted a video in which we got the closest look at the new car yet.

Polestar, which started out as the performance sub-brand of Volvo, has emerged as one of the more interesting EV companies on the market. The company, which is jointly owned by Volvo and Volvo’s parent company, Geely, recently announced plans to go public by merging with a special acquisition company, or SPAC.

Polestar has only released two vehicles so far: the $155,000 hybrid coupe Polestar 1 and the all-electric fastback sedan Polestar 2. The Polestar 3, an electric crossover SUV, is expected to be revealed in late 2021. The fourth vehicle is also expected to be an SUV.

The Polestar 5 is a four-door sedan with a hatchback in the rear. The company is calling it “an electric performance 4-door Grand Touring car,” which likely will mean it will compete with other luxury EVs, like the Tesla Model S, Mercedes-Benz EQS, Audi E-tron GT, and Lucid Air.

Polestar declined to release most of the relevant specs, including price, battery size, range, and motor configuration. For what it’s worth, the Polestar 2 sports a 78kWh battery pack, which enables 291 miles (470 kilometers) of range. The electric motor puts off 408 horsepower, allowing for a 0–60 time in under five seconds.

When it was first released in concept form, the company laid out the Precept’s environmental bona fides: interior panels and seat backs are made out of “flax-based composites”; seats that have been “3D-knitted from recycled PET [or polyethylene terephthalate] bottles”; bolsters and headrests made from recycled cork vinyl; and carpets made out of reclaimed fishing nets.

Polestar also has teased a deeper integration of Android Automotive, Google’s native infotainment system, in the Precept. The sedan will recognize the driver as they approach the car and automatically ready their favorite applications and settings. Google Assistant would recognize more languages, including local accents, and be capable of more natural conversations. Polestar also imagines video streaming becoming a bigger component of the in-car experience — while parked or during charging, of course.