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Polestar announces pricing for 2023 Polestar 2, along with numerous improvements

Credit: Polestar

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Polestar announced pricing for the 2023 Polestar 2, which will start at below $50,000 before any rebates or federal tax incentives. The Swedish automaker also included several new design and efficiency improvements in the 2023 model year, which will make the EV more competitive with other notable cars in the sector thanks to its improved range.

The 2023 Polestar 2 Single Motor configuration will start at just $48,400, or $40,900 when the $7,500 federal tax rebate is included with the vehicle. A competitive price point for the all-electric sedan, Polestar will undercut both of Tesla’s All-Wheel-Drive trim levels of the Model 3, which are priced at $55,990 for the Long Range configuration and $62,990 for the Performance package.

Software improvements rolled out by Polestar have the company anticipating a range increase of the dual-motor configurations of the vehicle by eleven miles. This will bring the EPA-estimated range for the 2023 Polestar 2 to 260 miles per charge. Polestar also included a number of design benefits and new upgrades that intend to improve efficiency and range ratings, with the most notable being the inclusion of a heat pump in the Plus Pack.

The mechanical heat pump is designed to now deliver range improvements in a wider range of temperatures and climates, which can affect EV performance. Cold weather climates are not friendly to all-electric powertrains because it requires more energy to heat the battery cells, which takes away from the driving range. Additionally, climate control features can also decrease efficiency and range. The heat pump helps combat the range loss by using already-heated air in the cabin, among several other mechanical functions that increase overall vehicle efficiency. Tesla was amongst the first EV manufacturers to utilize the heat pump in early builds of the Model Y. The company then translated the proven heat pump system to the Model 3.

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Polestar will continue to roll out Over-the-Air updates to upgrade existing Polestar 2 cars equipped with the heat pump at no additional cost to owners.

The Polestar 2 will have optional “packs” that are optional add-ons for owners. The Plus Pack, Pilot Pack, and the Performance Pack both give owners additional features that can improve the ownership experience. The Plus Pack now includes an advanced cabin air filter helping improve air quality within the vehicle. A new air quality sensor and app will also allow drivers to see a breakdown of air circulating outside o the vehicle, including pollen types. The Plus pack adds $4,200 to the vehicle price.

The Pilot Pack is comparable to Tesla’s Autopilot and includes Blind Spot Assist, Cross-Traffic Alerts, Rear Collision Warnings with Mitigation, Adaptive Cruise Control, Pilot Assist, 360° cameras, Automatically dimmed door mirrors, Park Assist, and LED fog lights with cornering functionalities. It costs $3,400 for this package.

The Performance Pack for the 2023 Polestar 2 will equip 68 additional horsepower and 15 lb-ft of torque to the car through a software upgrade. It is only available on Dual-Motor configurations of the car, but the software will be able to purchase as a separate software upgrade — for both existing and future dual-motor cars, with and without the Performance Pack. Polestar plans to release more information on the add-ons this year.

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Deliveries of the 2023 Polestar 2 will begin in September with the Single-Motor configuration priced at $48,400. The 2023 Long Range Dual Motor configuration of the Polestar 2 will start at $51,900, with both vehicles eligible for the $7,500 federal EV credit initiative.

I’d love to hear from you! If you have any comments, concerns, or questions, please email me at joey@teslarati.com. You can also reach me on Twitter @KlenderJoey, or if you have news tips, you can email us at tips@teslarati.com.

Joey has been a journalist covering electric mobility at TESLARATI since August 2019. In his spare time, Joey is playing golf, watching MMA, or cheering on any of his favorite sports teams, including the Baltimore Ravens and Orioles, Miami Heat, Washington Capitals, and Penn State Nittany Lions. You can get in touch with joey at joey@teslarati.com. He is also on X @KlenderJoey. If you're looking for great Tesla accessories, check out shop.teslarati.com

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Elon Musk shares timeframe for X Money early public access rollout

X Money is expected to enable financial transactions within the app, expanding the platform’s capabilities beyond social media features.

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Credit: UK Government, CC BY 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

Elon Musk has stated that X Money, the digital payments system being developed for social media platform X, is expected to enter early public access next month. 

The update was shared by Musk in a post on X. “𝕏 Money early public access will launch next month,” Musk wrote in his post.

As noted in a Reuters report, X Money is being developed as a digital payment service that’s directly integrated into the X platform. 

The system is expected to enable financial transactions within the app, expanding the platform’s capabilities beyond social media features.

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Musk has previously discussed plans to introduce payments and financial services as part of X’s broader development.

Since acquiring the platform in 2022, Musk has discussed expanding X to include a range of services such as messaging, media, and financial tools.

Elon Musk has shared his goal of transforming X into an “everything app.” During a previous podcast interview with members of the Tesla community, Musk mused about turning X into something similar to China’s WeChat, which allows users to shop, pay, communicate, and perform a variety of other tasks.

“In China, you do everything in WeChat… it’s kickass… Outside of China, there’s nothing like it, people live on one app. My idea would be like how about if we just copy WeChat,” Musk joked at the time.

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To prepare for the rollout of X Money, X has partnered with payment company Visa to support the development of payment services for the platform’s users. The move could allow X to tap into the growing demand for digital and in-app financial transactions as the company builds additional services around its existing user base.

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Tesla Cybercab display highlights interior wizardry in the small two-seater

Photos and videos of the production Cybercab were shared in posts on social media platform X.

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Credit: Tesla Robotaxi/X

The Tesla Cybercab is currently on display at the U.S. Department of Transportation in Washington, D.C., and observations of the production vehicle are highlighting some of its notable design details. 

Photos and videos of the production Cybercab were shared in posts on social media platform X.

Observers of the Cybercab display unit noted that the two-seat Robotaxi provides unusually generous legroom for a vehicle of its size. Based on the vehicle’s video, the compact two-seater appears to offer more legroom than Tesla’s larger vehicles such as the Model Y, Model X, and Cybertruck.

The Cybercab’s layout allows Tesla to dedicate nearly the entire cabin to passengers. The vehicle is designed without a steering wheel or pedals, which helps maximize interior space.

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Footage from the display also highlights the Cybercab’s large center screen, which is positioned prominently in front of the passenger bench. The display appears intended to provide entertainment and ride information while the vehicle operates autonomously.

Images of the vehicle also show an additional camera integrated into the Cybercab’s C-pillar. The extra camera appears to expand the vehicle’s field of view, which would be useful as Tesla works toward fully unsupervised Full Self-Driving.

Tesla engineers have previously explained that the Cybercab was designed to be highly efficient both in manufacturing and in operation. Cybercab Lead Engineer Eric E. stated in 2024 that the Robotaxi would be built with roughly half the number of parts used in a Model 3 sedan.

“Two seats unlocks a lot of opportunity aerodynamically. It also means we cut the part count of Cybercab down by a substantial margin. We’re gonna be delivering a car that has roughly half the parts of Model 3 today,” the Tesla engineer said.

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The Tesla engineer also noted that the Cybercab’s cargo area can accommodate multiple golf bags, two carry-on suitcases, and two full-size checked bags. The trunk can also fit certain bicycles and a foldable wheelchair depending on size, which is quite impressive for a small car like the Cybercab.

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Elon Musk’s xAI wins permit for power plant supporting AI data centers

The development was reported by CNBC, citing confirmation from the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ).

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Mississippi regulators have approved a permit allowing Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence company xAI to construct a natural gas power plant in Southaven. The facility is expected to support the company’s expanding AI infrastructure tied to its Colossus data center operations near Memphis.

The development was reported by CNBC, citing confirmation from the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ).

According to the report, regulators “voted to approve the permit” of xAI subsidiary MZX Tech LLC to construct a power plant featuring 41 natural gas-burning turbines “after careful consideration of all public comments and community concerns.”

The Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality stated that the permit followed a regulatory review process that included public comments and community input. Jaricus Whitlock, air division chief for the MDEQ, stated that the project met all applicable environmental standards.

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“The proposed PSD permit in front of the board today not only meets all state and federal permitting regulations, but goes above and beyond what is required by law. MDEQ and the EPA agree that not a single person around our facilities will be exposed to unhealthy levels of air pollution,” Whitlock stated.

The planned facility will help provide electricity for xAI’s AI computing infrastructure in the Memphis region.

The Southaven project forms part of xAI’s efforts to scale computing capacity for its artificial intelligence systems.

The company currently operates two major data centers in Memphis, known as Colossus 1 and Colossus 2, which provide computing power for xAI’s Grok AI models. xAI is also planning to build another large data center in Southaven called Macrohardrr, which would be located in a warehouse previously used by GXO Logistics.

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Large-scale AI training requires substantial computing power and electricity, prompting technology companies to develop dedicated energy infrastructure for their data centers.

SpaceX President Gwynne Shotwell previously stated that xAI plans to develop 1.2 gigawatts of power capacity for its Memphis-area AI supercomputer site as part of the federal government’s Ratepayer Protection Pledge. The commitment was announced during an event with United States President Donald Trump.

“As part of today’s commitment, we will take extensive additional steps to continue to reduce the costs of electricity for our neighbors. xAI will therefore commit to develop 1.2 GW of power as our supercomputer’s primary power source. That will be for every additional data center as well. We will expand what is already the largest global Megapack power installation in the world,” Shotwell said.

“The installation will provide enough backup power to power the city of Memphis, and more than sufficient energy to power the town of Southaven, Mississippi where the data center resides. We will build new substations and invest in electrical infrastructure to provide stability to the area’s grid.”

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