Volvo electric-car off-shoot Polestar’s fourth model – intended as a rival for the Tesla Model Y SUV – is slated to make its global debut in China next week.
The 2024 Polestar 4 electric car has been teased, ahead of its global unveiling at the Shanghai motor show on Tuesday 18 April, and Australian arrival next year.
The Polestar 4 will be the Volvo-backed electric-vehicle maker’s fourth model – as its name suggests – and is pitched as a mid-size SUV to challenge a Tesla Model Y, Genesis GV60, or Kia EV6.
However, spy photos show the new Polestar will be closer to a hatchback or ‘liftback’ sedan, with a sloping roofline similar to a Kia Stinger or Audi A5, and ground clearance similar to traditional sedans and wagons.
A teaser image published by Polestar shows the new electric car may adopt similar matrix LED headlight technology to other cars in the company’s model range.
The new Polestar 4 is expected to ride on dedicated electric-car underpinnings shared with other cars under the umbrella of parent company and Chinese car giant Geely.
Polestar is yet to state if it will use a smaller version of the Polestar 3 large electric SUV’s ‘SPA2’ chassis – or the ‘SEA’ architecture under other cars from the Geely group.
The car maker says the Polestar 4 is the “fastest Polestar production car to date”. It’s unclear if the company is referring to top speed, acceleration or another performance metric.
The new model is expected to slot between the 4606mm-long Polestar 2 and 4900mm-long Polestar 3 in terms of dimensions, to create a rival for the 4751mm-long Tesla Model Y.
Polestar CEO Thomas Ingenlath told the UK’s Car magazine in 2022 the company is aiming to price the Polestar 4 from approximately €55,000 ($AU90,000) – just above the €48,990 ($AU80,000) Polestar 2 Standard Range Single Motor sedan.
The 2024 Polestar 4 is due to be unveiled next week, on Tuesday 18 April at the Shanghai motor show. First Australian showroom arrivals are expected next year.
Polestar range photo credit: Polestar CEO Thomas Ingenlath on Twitter.
