The Polestar 3 is certainly one of my favourite EVs on sale proper now, and certainly one of my favourite new automotive designs interval, but when I have been some who purchased a 2025 mannequin 12 months (the primary one), I might be greater than just a little ticked off. That is as a result of like its Volvo EX90 sibling, the 2026 Polestar 3 is getting main upgrades within the type of extra energy, quicker charging, and a way more highly effective pc, the final of which is able to a minimum of be given to present Polestar 3 house owners as a free improve.
CEO Michael Lohscheller says “the upgrades are so in depth, it is like a completely new automotive.” I am not so certain about that, however its SPA2 platform shifting from a 400-volt structure to an 800-volt setup is an enormous deal, and these updates do sound very attractive. For now the 800-volt 2026 Polestar 3 is simply launching in Europe, with a Polestar spokesperson telling us that U.S. availability will probably be introduced at a later date, because the 2025 mannequin 12 months 3 remains to be on sale, and nonetheless being in-built Ridgeville, California. With the $7,500 tax credit score useless, Polestar is perhaps ready to see what ridiculous financial determination Trump makes subsequent earlier than revealing U.S.-spec particulars and determining how a lot it will price. I would not be shocked if the corporate affords its personal incentives prefer it did earlier this 12 months.
Much less torque and smaller batteries
The present 400-volt Polestar 3 can DC fast-charge at as much as 250 kW, which is not dangerous, however upgrading to the 800-volt structure bumps the SUV’s functionality to 350 kW on dual-motor automobiles and 320 kW for single-motor fashions. Charging from 10% to 80% will now take simply 22 minutes, down by 8 treasured minutes. There are additionally new battery packs from CATL, a 92-kWh pack for RWD fashions and a 106-kWh pack for AWD ones, each barely down from the 111-kWh battery within the current 3. Polestar says the up to date 3 is as much as 6% extra environment friendly, however solely the top-end dual-motor Efficiency mannequin sees a variety enchancment within the European WLTP cycle, going from 352 miles to 368 miles. The usual dual-motor will do 394 miles, down by about half a mile, whereas the rear-drive single-motor automotive is WLTP-rated for 375 miles, down from 439 at present.
Each 2026 Polestar 3 has a brand new, extra highly effective in-house-developed everlasting magnet synchronous rear motor, and the accessible asynchronous entrance motor now has an computerized disconnect perform. Polestar says there’s much more of a rear bias to the ability supply now, and up to date anti-roll bars and in depth steering software program refinement ought to make it extra direct and fascinating to drive — and it is already nice. Each model of the three now has extra horsepower however much less torque, and acceleration instances are faster throughout the board. The up to date rear-drive single-motor 3 makes 333 horsepower and 354 pound-feet of torque, in comparison with 299 hp and 361 lb-ft earlier than, and it will hit 60 mph in a brisk 6.3 seconds, a pleasant drop from the 7.5 seconds of the present mannequin. The twin-motor automotive will get a 55-hp increase to 544 hp, with torque reducing by 74 lb-ft to 546 lb-ft, and its 4.5-second 0-to-60-mph time is three-tenths faster. Then there’s the dual-motor Efficiency, which now has 680 hp, 642 lb-ft and a 3.8-second 0-60 time, versus the 2025 mannequin’s 517 hp, 671 lb-ft and 4.5 seconds.
Eight instances extra processing energy
As with the EX90, the up to date Polestar 3 will get a twin Nvidia Drive AGX Orin processor that will increase processing energy from 30 to 254 trillion operations per second. That is rather a lot. Polestar says it “allows quicker, extra clever administration of energetic security programs, battery efficiency, and sensor knowledge.” This {hardware} will probably be supplied as a complimentary improve to all current Polestar 3 house owners, with the retrofits to start out at first of 2026. It ought to unlock extra active-safety and comfort options and enhancements to all types of different facets of the infotainment system.
Lively air suspension is now non-obligatory on the dual-motor 3 and normal on the Efficiency. There’s been some reshuffling of what comes within the totally different choices packages, plus the addition of a Prime package deal that bundles collectively principally every part you will get. The Bowers & Wilkins sound system is now accessible with headrest audio system and energetic street noise cancelation, and the usual upholstery possibility is now MicroTech in Charcoal with repurposed aluminum trim. The one design modifications are a brand new darkish gray metallic paint referred to as Storm, up to date door textual content graphics with a bigger font, and a badge on the nostril to indicate the Efficiency mannequin.
The 2026 Polestar 3 will first go on sale within the UK due to excessive demand and the outgoing mannequin 12 months being offered on the market, with different European international locations to comply with. We’ll in all probability find out about U.S.-specific particulars within the new 12 months.
