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Tesla Model 3 vs Polestar 2: performance, features, batteries, and price
Volvo’s Polestar 2, which has been dubbed as a potential competitor to the best-selling Tesla Model 3, was recently unveiled. Here is a comparison of the vehicles in terms of their performance, features, batteries, and price.
Performance and Features
The Polestar 2 is equipped with dual motors that produce 408 hp, which allow the car to go from 0-60 mph in under 5 seconds. It is also an electric vehicle that features a deep integration with Google’s Android ecosystem, with its interior being dominated by an 11″ touchscreen that is loaded to the brim with familiar apps like Google Maps and Google Play Music. The Polestar 2 even has Google Assistant, which is arguably one of the most robust voice assistants in the market today, rivaling Apple’s Siri and Samsung’s Bixby.
The Model 3 features Tesla’s trademark performance and tech. The Model 3 Performance, which is in the same price category as the Polestar 2 Launch Edition (the first version of the car that will enter production), is equipped with dual motors that produce 450 hp, allowing the vehicle to sprint from 0-60 mph in 3.3 seconds. The Model 3 also features Tesla’s custom tech for its electric cars, which include features such as Autopilot. The vehicle also receives regular, free over-the-air software updates, which improve the vehicle and add features such as the recently-released Sentry Mode and Dog Mode.
Batteries and Range
The Polestar 2 is equipped with a sizable 78 kWh battery pack comprised of cells from LG Chem, which the company expects will give the fastback a range of 275 miles per charge. This figure is lower than the estimates of Polestar COO Jonathan Goodman last year, when he mentioned to Autocar at the 2018 Goodwood Festival of Speed that the Polestar 2 will have a range of around 350 miles per charge.
In comparison, the Long Range Tesla Model 3 is equipped with a ~75 kWh battery pack made of cells produced in Tesla’s Gigafactory 1 in Nevada. Despite having a smaller battery than the Polestar 2, the Long Range Model 3 features more range at 310 miles per charge. Tesla’s Mid Range Model 3, which is speculated to be equipped with a 62 kWh battery, features a range of 264 miles per charge.
Price
At a price between $45,000 for the base version and $68,000 for the fully-loaded top-tier variant, the Polestar 2 is a pretty solid option in the electric vehicle market. The Polestar 2 “Launch Edition,” which costs $63,000 and is expected to be produced first, is priced comparably with the Model 3 Performance, providing would-be electric car buyers who do not wish to purchase a Tesla a good alternative.
Tesla has been able to bring the price of the Model 3 down over the past few months. Currently, Tesla sells the vehicle’s most affordable variant, the Mid Range Model 3, for $42,900 before savings. The Long Range Dual Motor AWD Model 3 sells for $49,900 before savings, and the top-tier Model 3 Performance costs $60,900 before savings. Buyers who opt to purchase Enhanced Autopilot can order the driver-assist system for $5,000.
Conclusion
Ultimately, it should be noted that the Polestar 2 is something more than a competitor for the Model 3. It is a well-rounded vehicle produced by an experienced carmaker that is unashamedly electric; and thus, it is more of a threat to gasoline-powered cars than it is to other EVs on the market. With vehicles such as the Model 3 and the Polestar 2, it might be only a matter of time before the era of high-performance sedans such as the BMW M3 and the Mercedes-AMG C 63 S comes to an end.
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Tesla is not sparing any expense in ensuring the Cybercab is safe
Images shared by the longtime watcher showed 16 Cybercab prototypes parked near Giga Texas’ dedicated crash test facility.
The Tesla Cybercab could very well be the safest taxi on the road when it is released and deployed for public use. This was, at least, hinted at by the intensive safety tests that Tesla seems to be putting the autonomous two-seater through at its Giga Texas crash test facility.
Intensive crash tests
As per recent images from longtime Giga Texas watcher and drone operator Joe Tegtmeyer, Tesla seems to be very busy crash testing Cybercab units. Images shared by the longtime watcher showed 16 Cybercab prototypes parked near Giga Texas’ dedicated crash test facility just before the holidays.
Tegtmeyer’s aerial photos showed the prototypes clustered outside the factory’s testing building. Some uncovered Cybercabs showed notable damage and one even had its airbags engaged. With Cybercab production expected to start in about 130 days, it appears that Tesla is very busy ensuring that its autonomous two-seater ends up becoming the safest taxi on public roads.
Prioritizing safety
With no human driver controls, the Cybercab demands exceptional active and passive safety systems to protect occupants in any scenario. Considering Tesla’s reputation, it is then understandable that the company seems to be sparing no expense in ensuring that the Cybercab is as safe as possible.
Tesla’s focus on safety was recently highlighted when the Cybertruck achieved a Top Safety Pick+ rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). This was a notable victory for the Cybertruck as critics have long claimed that the vehicle will be one of, if not the, most unsafe truck on the road due to its appearance. The vehicle’s Top Safety Pick+ rating, if any, simply proved that Tesla never neglects to make its cars as safe as possible, and that definitely includes the Cybercab.
Elon Musk
Tesla’s Elon Musk gives timeframe for FSD’s release in UAE
Provided that Musk’s timeframe proves accurate, FSD would be able to start saturating the Middle East, starting with the UAE, next year.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk stated on Monday that Full Self-Driving (Supervised) could launch in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) as soon as January 2026.
Provided that Musk’s timeframe proves accurate, FSD would be able to start saturating the Middle East, starting with the UAE, next year.
Musk’s estimate
In a post on X, UAE-based political analyst Ahmed Sharif Al Amiri asked Musk when FSD would arrive in the country, quoting an earlier post where the CEO encouraged users to try out FSD for themselves. Musk responded directly to the analyst’s inquiry.
“Hopefully, next month,” Musk wrote. The exchange attracted a lot of attention, with numerous X users sharing their excitement at the idea of FSD being brought to a new country. FSD (Supervised), after all, would likely allow hands-off highway driving, urban navigation, and parking under driver oversight in traffic-heavy cities such as Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
Musk’s comments about FSD’s arrival in the UAE were posted following his visit to the Middle Eastern country. Over the weekend, images were shared online of Musk meeting with UAE Defense Minister, Deputy Prime Minister, and Dubai Crown Prince HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed. Musk also posted a supportive message about the country, posting “UAE rocks!” on X.
FSD recognition
FSD has been getting quite a lot of support from foreign media outlets. FSD (Supervised) earned high marks from Germany’s largest car magazine, Auto Bild, during a test in Berlin’s challenging urban environment. The demonstration highlighted the system’s ability to handle dense traffic, construction sites, pedestrian crossings, and narrow streets with smooth, confident decision-making.
Journalist Robin Hornig was particularly struck by FSD’s superior perception and tireless attention, stating: “Tesla FSD Supervised sees more than I do. It doesn’t get distracted and never gets tired. I like to think I’m a good driver, but I can’t match this system’s all-around vision. It’s at its best when both work together: my experience and the Tesla’s constant attention.” Only one intervention was needed when the system misread a route, showcasing its maturity while relying on vision-only sensors and over-the-air learning.
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Tesla quietly flexes FSD’s reliability amid Waymo blackout in San Francisco
“Tesla Robotaxis were unaffected by the SF power outage,” Musk wrote in his post.
Tesla highlighted its Full Self-Driving (Supervised) system’s robustness this week by sharing dashcam footage of a vehicle in FSD navigating pitch-black San Francisco streets during the city’s widespread power outage.
While Waymo’s robotaxis stalled and caused traffic jams, Tesla’s vision-only approach kept operating seamlessly without remote intervention. Elon Musk amplified the clip, highlighting the contrast between the two systems.
Tesla FSD handles total darkness
The @Tesla_AI account posted a video from a Model Y operating on FSD during San Francisco’s blackout. As could be seen in the video, streetlights, traffic signals, and surrounding illumination were completely out, but the vehicle drove confidently and cautiously, just like a proficient human driver.
Musk reposted the clip, adding context to reports of Waymo vehicles struggling in the same conditions. “Tesla Robotaxis were unaffected by the SF power outage,” Musk wrote in his post.
Musk and the Tesla AI team’s posts highlight the idea that FSD operates a lot like any experienced human driver. Since the system does not rely on a variety of sensors and a complicated symphony of factors, vehicles could technically navigate challenging circumstances as they emerge. This definitely seemed to be the case in San Francisco.
Waymo’s blackout struggles
Waymo faced scrutiny after multiple self-driving Jaguar I-PACE taxis stopped functioning during the blackout, blocking lanes, causing traffic jams, and requiring manual retrieval. Videos shared during the power outage showed fleets of Waymo vehicles just stopping in the middle of the road, seemingly confused about what to do when the lights go out.
In a comment, Waymo stated that its vehicles treat nonfunctional signals as four-way stops, but “the sheer scale of the outage led to instances where vehicles remained stationary longer than usual to confirm the state of the affected intersections. This contributed to traffic friction during the height of the congestion.”
A company spokesperson also shared some thoughts about the incidents. “Yesterday’s power outage was a widespread event that caused gridlock across San Francisco, with non-functioning traffic signals and transit disruptions. While the failure of the utility infrastructure was significant, we are committed to ensuring our technology adjusts to traffic flow during such events,” the Waymo spokesperson stated, adding that it is “focused on rapidly integrating the lessons learned from this event, and are committed to earning and maintaining the trust of the communities we serve every day.”
Tesla is not sparing any expense in ensuring the Cybercab is safe
Tesla’s Elon Musk gives timeframe for FSD’s release in UAE
