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Polestar 3 all-electric SUV unveiling: 379-mile WLTP range, 517 horsepower, 111 kWh battery

Credit: Polestar

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Polestar has unveiled its all-electric SUV, named the Polestar 3, aiming to enter a highly-competitive market and outpoint potential competitors with comparable offerings, including Tesla, Ford, Rivian, and others. Electric vehicle offerings are becoming more plentiful, and Polestar is attempting to capture a considerable portion of the market by offering a quality design, comparative performance, and a competitive range rating.

Polestar launched the Polestar 3 on Wednesday at an unveiling event held in Copenhagen, Denmark. Owned by Geely Motors and Volvo, Polestar has offered the Polestar 2 for nearly two years, with the 4, 5, and 6 vehicles all currently under development. The automaker has shared the Polestar 3 concept images on several occasions, but this is the first time people are seeing the launch of the vehicle directly from the company in a live setting.

“Polestar 3 reimagines the SUV through premium electric performance and innovative, sustainable technology. Changing the automotive landscape while keeping the environment a priority,” Polestar describes the vehicle on its website.

Built in the United States for U.S. Customers

There’s been a lot of talk about electric vehicles and production inside the United States as the Biden Administration has launched several large bills to incentivize not only domestic EV production but also the purchase of EVs by consumers. However, Polestar committed long ago to building the Polestar 3 in the United States, committing to the strategy in June 2021.

“We will build in America for Americans,” Polestar CEO Thomas Ingenlath said last year. “Polestar 3 is planned to be launched in 2022 as a premium electric performance SUV that will define the look of SUVs in the electric age. It will also be the first Polestar vehicle to be built in America.”

The Polestar 3 will be built at the Volvo Cars plant in Charleson, South Carolina, and is intended to be one of the most climate-responsible cars ever built.

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“Polestar 3 is a powerful electric SUV that appeals to the senses with a distinct, Scandinavian design and excellent driving dynamics,” Ingenlath, said while reaffirming Polestar’s plans to build the car in the U.S. “It takes our manufacturing footprint to the next level, bringing Polestar production to the United States. We are proud and excited to expand our portfolio as we continue our rapid growth.”

Next-Gen EV Architecture crafted by Volvo

The Polestar 3 has been Volvo’s introduction to the development of EV architecture. Polestar said the Polestar 3’s new, next-generation architecture has been designed from scratch for full electrification. Supported by Google’s Android Automotive OS infotainment system and featuring high-end, safety-focused autonomous driving features, Polestar intends to launch state-of-the-art and completely unique EV tech, starting with the Polestar 3 in specific.

Focusing on safety and ADAS tech in the Polestar 3

Polestar 3 offers five radar modules, five external cameras, and twelve ultrasonic sensors, enabling advanced safety features. The SmartZone and front aero wing continuously collect information through forward-facing sensors, a heated radar module, and camera. Polestar now says that this is a “signature” of the company’s design.

In the cabin, Polestar has two closed-loop driver monitoring cameras that will track the driver’s eyes to emphasize safer driving. “The cameras monitor the driver’s eyes and can trigger warning messages, sounds and even an emergency stop function when detecting a distracted, drowsy or disconnected driver,” Polestar said.

111 kWh battery pack, 379-mile WLTP-rated range, heat pump

Polestar 3 will pack a 111 kWh battery pack offering a generous but preliminary range rating of 379 miles rated by the WLTP. Expect this number to be lower when the EPA tests the vehicle, which has not happened quite yet, according to the agency’s Vehicle Database.

Polestar’s 111 kWh battery pack features prismatic cells housed in a protective aluminum case, reinforced by boron steel and liquid cooling. Polestar also made a heat pump standard on the Polestar 3, helping with efficiency and range degradation, especially in colder climates.

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Polestar 3 Order Availability, optional Pilot Pack with LiDAR from Luminar

Polestar said the Polestar 3 will be available for order today. Polestar 3 orders with an optional Pilot Pack with LiDAR from Luminar will be available from Q2 2023. This package adds a supplemental control unit from NVIDIA, three more cameras, four ultrasonic sensors, and cleaning for both front and rear-view cameras. “This enables enhanced 3D scanning of the car’s surroundings in greater detail and helps prepare the car for autonomous driving,” Polestar said.

Production to begin in China, Q4 2023 Deliveries

Initial production will start at Volvo’s facility in Chengdu, China, in an incremental ramp-up phase, Polestar said, which is set to begin in mid-2023. Its launch price is €89,990 ($87,110). The first deliveries will take place in Q4 2023.

Volvo’s Ridgeville, South Carolina facility will build the vehicle to supply North American and other markets. Production will switch from China to the United States, and initial deliveries of units produced in South Carolina will begin in mid-2024.

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.

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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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Tesla Cybercab goes on sale for $29,990, slated for December deliveries

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Credit: Tesla

Tesla has officially put the Cybercab up for sale, revealing a bargain price and a $299 per month “Autonomy Subscription” that could hit customer hands as soon as December.

The offer requires a $299 monthly Autonomy Subscription, with the first month included in the purchase price, along with a $1,000 non-refundable order deposit. Tesla’s ordering interface shows deliveries targeted for Austin, Texas.

Tesla says that the Cybercab is making transportation more efficient, affordable and accessible than ever before, and that buyers can order their own Cybercab for personal use.

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The Cybercab is Tesla’s dedicated robotaxi, a gold-finished, two-passenger vehicle without a steering wheel or pedals, designed from the outset for unsupervised autonomous operation. It has been in limited Robotaxi service in Austin since September 2026, operating alongside Tesla’s larger fleet of Model Y vehicles.

Production takes place at Gigafactory Texas, which launched earlier this year. Tesla has stated for some time that it planned to put Cybercabs on sale by the end of the year, and it looks like they will come through on that promise if everything goes according to plan.

The Autonomy Subscription is mandatory for the vehicle to operate because it is void of a steering wheel and pedals. Tesla notes that the subscription and regular vehicle maintenance are required, indicating that personal owners will depend on the company’s software and service infrastructure rather than traditional ownership models.

One month of the subscription is included with purchase and subsequent months are billed separately until canceled.

This limited personal-sales opening marks a shift from Tesla’s earlier emphasis on fleet and transport-as-a-service operations. During the Q3 2026 Earnings Call, executives indicated that the vast majority of Cybercabs would remain Tesla-owned and used for rideshare service, while still aiming to place some vehicles with customers by year-end.

Elon Musk has previously targeted a price below $30,000, which was a huge point of emphasis for the Cybercab being the central point of Tesla’s “transportation-as-a-service” model.

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Availability remains restricted to invited customers rather than a public order page, and the initial deliveries are expected only in the Austin area where unsupervised Robotaxi operations are already active. Buyers will need to accept the geographic and operational constraints of current autonomous deployment, as the vehicle cannot be driven manually outside supported zones.

The move gives a small number of early buyers the chance to own Tesla’s dedicated autonomous vehicle at the long-discussed sub-$30,000 price point, while the bulk of production continues to support the company’s expanding Robotaxi network.

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SpaceX Starship Flight 15: How to watch the double catch attempt

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Credit: SpaceX

UPDATE: The FAA has granted the license for Starship Flight 15.

SpaceX is set to attempt its 15th test flight of Starship this evening from Starbase, Texas.

SpaceX is targeting Starship Flight 15 for a launch as soon as today, Friday, November 13, pending an FAA Flight License, during a 75-minute window that opens at 4:45 p.m. CT (5:45 p.m. ET) from Orbital Launch Pad 2 at Starbase, Texas. The flight remains pending final regulatory approval.

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The mission, using Booster 22 and Ship 42, aims to achieve the first full recovery of an orbital launch system. Primary objectives include a tower catch of the Super Heavy booster roughly six and a half minutes after liftoff and the first-ever tower catch of a Starship upper stage after more than 22 hours in space.

SpaceX will perform Starship double catch attempt with Flight 15

Between those catches, Ship 42 is planned to enter a low Earth orbit of about 275 km, complete roughly 14 orbits, and deploy 26 next-generation Starlink V3 satellites (Starlink Group 31-2). Three of those satellites carry cameras to inspect the ship’s heat shield in orbit and help controllers decide whether the vehicle is healthy enough for a return to the tower.

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Contingency ocean splashdown options exist if either stage is not cleared for catch.

To watch the attempt, check the link to the broadcast in both X posts in this article. The live webcast is scheduled to begin about 30 minutes before liftoff and is planned to continue through the ship catch the next day, with the possibility of extended onboard views during the orbital coast via Starlink.

Because the schedule is dynamic, check back here or on our social media channels for the latest updates on window timing and regulatory status. A successful dual catch would mark a major milestone toward making Starship a rapidly reusable rocket capable of frequent flights.

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Tesla trims Model Y offerings as All-Wheel-Drive gets the axe

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Credit: Tesla

Tesla has trimmed its Model Y offerings as its Standard All-Wheel-Drive configuration has been removed from the online configurator after roughly nine months on sale. The move follows the removal of the Cybertruck, as its trims have also been minimized as that vehicle heads for total discontinuation at the end of Summer 2027.

Launched in February 2026 as a mid-tier dual-motor option between the Rear-Wheel-Drive model and the Premium trims, the Standard All-Wheel-Drive Model Y offered 294 miles of range and a 4.6-second 0-60 mph time in a stripped-down package.

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With it gone, the cheapest new AWD Model Y buyers can configure is now the Premium AWD at $49,990, with estimated deliveries pushed into January–March 2027. The $39,990 rear-wheel-drive Model Y remains available for custom orders, and some AWD units are still listed in inventory.

The move arrives days after Tesla sharply narrowed its Cybertruck lineup. New orders for the Dual Motor AWD and Premium AWD versions have been disabled, leaving only the high-performance Cyberbeast—priced around $109,990 before fees—as the sole configurable option.

Elon Musk has stated that Cybertruck production at Gigafactory Texas will wind down around the middle to late summer of 2027 to free manufacturing space for greater Cybercab output. Tesla has raised prices on remaining trims and is prioritizing higher-margin builds while working through an existing order backlog that exceeds what the line can complete before conversion.

These parallel decisions reflect a broader effort to simplify Tesla’s retail customer lineup. Lower-volume or lower-margin variants are being phased out or deprioritized in favor of core, higher-spec models that generate stronger profitability and clearer production planning.

For the Model Y, this concentrates volume on the remaining RWD and Premium configurations while Premium deliveries already stretch into 2027. For the Cybertruck, it accelerates the transition away from a stainless-steel pickup that underperformed relative to initial volume expectations.

Tesla Model Y Standard Full Review: Is it worth the lower price?

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The freed capacity and reduced complexity directly support Cybercab scaling. Tesla began pilot Cybercab production at Giga Texas in early 2026, launched paid autonomous rides in Austin in September, and is preparing for substantial volume growth.

By streamlining the existing vehicle portfolio, the company is reallocating factory space, engineering attention, and supply-chain resources toward its purpose-built Robotaxi, which lacks a steering wheel or pedals and is designed exclusively for unsupervised autonomy.

The result is a leaner retail lineup today and a clearer path to high-volume Cybercab deployment tomorrow.

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