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Polestar continues Volvo’s tradition of safety with perfect Polestar 2 NCAP rating
Volvo-owned Polestar is continuing the Swedish automaker’s tradition of safety, as the Polestar 2 was recently awarded a five-star safety rating by the U.S. NHTSA, the highest possible score a car can achieve in the agency’s New Car Assessment Program (NCAP).
Volvo’s tradition of safety and innovation in that field has continued through its partial ownership in Polestar. Owned alongside companies like China’s Geely Motors, Polestar has been one of the EV industry’s newest and most prominent names thanks to vehicles like the Polestar 2 experiencing early success.
For 95 years, Volvo has established itself as a leader in groundbreaking automotive safety development. Its development of the Polestar 2 has continued that tradition, as it features state-of-the-art and revolutionary safety features to improve overall performance in the event of a crash.
“Revolutionary safety features include inner side airbags for the front occupants, a Front Lower Load Path (FLLP) to absorb impact energy and thereby protect its occupants, and the “SPOC block,” a unique aluminum structure designed to deflect objects like the wheel, tire and front suspension components away from the cabin and battery pack,” Polestar said in its release.
Front Lower Load Path
Polestar describes this as a design strategy used to absorb energy with the front of the car in the event of a collision. With the lack of a large internal combustion engine to protect the cabin, Polestar has adopted this technology to reduce the risk of injury to passengers, as well as battery back deformation, it said.
Credit: Polestar
Inner-Side Airbags
Polestar utilizes inner-side airbags pioneered by Volvo, which have improved safety and impact protection. “The Polestar 2 features the latest version of these airbags, complementary to the regular ones. Integrated into the inner sides of the front seat backrests, they offer individual protection to the driver and the front passenger, reducing the risk of injury when the car is hit from the side,” the company said about the airbags.
Credit: Polestar
According to the NHTSA, the 2023 Polestar 2 received five-star ratings for Front Driver Side and Front Passenger Side collisions, as well as five stars across the board in terms of Side Crash assessments. Five-star ratings in rollover performance also capped off the Polestar 2’s impressive performance in the assessment. The NHTSA stated the vehicle has a rollover risk of 8.30 percent.
“Building on last year’s 5-Star EuroNCAP rating, we are happy to announce that Polestar 2 has also received the benchmark 5-star rating from the NHTSA in the United States,” Gregor Hembrough, Polestar’s North American head, said. “Our customers can take pride and comfort knowing that their Polestar 2 features the latest technology, great design and sustainable materials complemented by a top safety rating.”
Polestar brings several new features to the 2023 Polestar 2 compared to last year’s model. In May, the company announced it would roll out significant improvements to its software, as well as design benefits that would achieve a more streamlined look.
Additionally, Polestar announced it would equip the 2023 Polestar 2 with a heat pump, which became popular in 2020 as Tesla equipped it in early Model Y builds. Heat pumps help move warm air more efficiently, helping owners with climate control without sacrificing range for it.
Tesla Model Y heat pump solves range impact in cold climates
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Elon Musk’s Grokipedia surges to 5.6M articles, almost 79% of English Wikipedia
The explosive growth marks a major milestone for the AI-powered online encyclopedia, which was launched by Elon Musk’s xAI just months ago.
Elon Musk’s Grokipedia has grown to an impressive 5,615,201 articles as of today, closing in on 79% of the English Wikipedia’s current total of 7,119,376 articles.
The explosive growth marks a major milestone for the AI-powered online encyclopedia, which was launched by Elon Musk’s xAI just months ago. Needless to say, it would only be a matter of time before Grokipedia exceeds English Wikipedia in sheer volume.
Grokipedia’s rapid growth
xAI’s vision for Grokipedia emphasizes neutrality, while Grok’s reasoning capabilities allow for fast drafting and fact-checking. When Elon Musk announced the initiative in late September 2025, he noted that Grokipedia would be an improvement to Wikipedia because it would be designed to avoid bias.
At the time, Musk noted that Grokipedia “is a necessary step towards the xAI goal of understanding the Universe.”
Grokipedia was launched in late October, and while xAI was careful to list it only as Version 0.1 at the time, the online encyclopedia immediately earned praise. Wikipedia co-founder Larry Sanger highlighted the project’s innovative approach, noting how it leverages AI to fill knowledge gaps and enable rapid updates. Netizens also observed how Grokipedia tends to present articles in a more objective manner compared to Wikipedia, which is edited by humans.
Elon Musk’s ambitious plans
With 5,615,201 total articles, Grokipedia has now grown to almost 79% of English Wikipedia’s article base. This is incredibly quick, though Grokipedia remains text-only for now. xAI, for its part, has now updated the online encyclopedia’s iteration to v0.2.
Elon Musk has shared bold ideas for Grokipedia, including sending a record of the entire knowledge base to space as part of xAI’s mission to preserve and expand human understanding. At some point, Musk stated that Grokipedia will be renamed to Encyclopedia Galactica, and it will be sent to the cosmos.
“When Grokipedia is good enough (long way to go), we will change the name to Encyclopedia Galactica. It will be an open source distillation of all knowledge, including audio, images and video. Join xAI to help build the sci-fi version of the Library of Alexandria!” Musk wrote, adding in a later post that “Copies will be etched in stone and sent to the Moon, Mars and beyond. This time, it will not be lost.”
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Tesla Model 3 becomes Netherlands’ best-selling used EV in 2025
More than one in ten second-hand electric cars sold in the country last year was a Tesla Model 3.
The Tesla Model 3 became the most popular used electric car in the Netherlands in 2025, cementing its dominance well beyond the country’s new-car market.
After years at the top of Dutch EV sales charts, the Model 3 now leads the country’s second-hand EV market by a wide margin, as record used-car purchases pushed electric vehicles further into the mainstream.
Model 3 takes a commanding lead
The Netherlands recorded more than 2.1 million used car sales last year, the highest level on record. Of those, roughly 4.8%, or about 102,000 vehicles, were electric. Within that growing segment, the Tesla Model 3 stood far ahead of its competitors.
In 2025 alone, 11,338 used Model 3s changed hands, giving the car an 11.1% share of the country’s entire used EV market. That means more than one in ten second-hand electric cars sold in the country last year was a Tesla Model 3, Auto Week Netherlands reported. The scale of its lead is striking: the gap between the Model 3 and the second-place finisher, the Volkswagen ID3, is more than 6,700 vehicles.
Rivals trail as residual values shape rankings
The Volkswagen ID.3 ranked a distant second, with 4,595 used units sold and a 4.5% market share. Close behind was the Audi e-tron, which placed third with 4,236 registrations. As noted by Auto Week Netherlands, relatively low residual values likely boosted the e-tron’s appeal in the used market, despite its higher original price.
Other strong performers included the Kia Niro, the Tesla Model Y, and the Hyundai Kona, highlighting continued demand for compact and midsize electric vehicles with proven range and reliability. No other model, however, came close to matching the Model 3’s scale or market presence.
News
Tesla Model Y Standard Long Range RWD launches in Europe
The update was announced by Tesla Europe & Middle East in a post on its official social media account on X.
Tesla has expanded the Model Y lineup in Europe with the introduction of the Standard Long Range RWD variant, which offers an impressive 657 km of WLTP range.
The update was announced by Tesla Europe & Middle East in a post on its official social media account on X.
Model Y Standard Long Range RWD Details
Tesla Europe & Middle East highlighted some of the Model Y Standard Long Range RWD’s most notable specs, from its 657 km of WLTP range to its 2,118 liters of cargo volume. More importantly, Tesla also noted that the newly released variant only consumes 12.7 kWh per 100 km, making it the most efficient Model Y to date.
The Model Y Standard provides a lower entry point for consumers who wish to enter the Tesla ecosystem at the lowest possible price. While the Model 3 Standard is still more affordable, some consumers might prefer the Model Y Standard due to its larger size and crossover form factor. The fact that the Model Y Standard is equipped with Tesla’s AI4 computer also makes it ready for FSD’s eventual rollout to the region.
Top Gear’s Model Y Standard review
Top Gear‘s recent review of the Tesla Model Y Standard highlighted some of the vehicle’s most notable features, such as its impressive real-world range, stellar infotainment system, and spacious interior. As per the publication, the Model Y Standard still retains a lot of what makes Tesla’s vehicles well-rounded, even if it’s been equipped with a simplified interior.
Top Gear compared the Model Y Standard to its rivals in the same segment. “The introduction of the Standard trim brings the Model Y in line with the entry price of most of its closest competition. In fact, it’s actually cheaper than a Peugeot e-3008 and costs £5k less than an entry-level Audi Q4 e-tron. It also makes the Ford Mustang Mach-E look a little short with its higher entry price and worse range,” the publication wrote.
Elon Musk’s Grokipedia surges to 5.6M articles, almost 79% of English Wikipedia
Tesla Model 3 becomes Netherlands’ best-selling used EV in 2025
