Polestar has confirmed that the upcoming Polestar 5 electric four-door GT will feature a new, bonded aluminum chassis, citing “superlative performance” and “environmental advantages” for its development.
A departure from the Volvo-derived ‘SPA’ and ‘CMA’ platforms at the heart of the ‘1’ sedan and ‘2’ crossover Polestar has already introduced, the Swedish premium electric carmaker has stated that a new manufacturing process, in which the body and the platform are developed simultaneously, will circumvent “labour intensive” and logistical issues that have led other manufacturers to discard all-aluminium platforms for carbon composites. All without sacrificing product quality.
Polestar 6 bonded aluminum chassis
The new “body-in-white” process is expected not only to reduce production times, but also to reduce weight, Polestar stating its new four-door GT could weigh even less “than that of cars in smaller segments.” This would also have a beneficial effect on the Polestar 5’s electric range and overall efficiency.
“Our UK R&D team” – based in the UK’s ‘Motorsport Valley’ in the Midlands – “is one of Polestar’s greatest assets,” Polestar CEO Thomas Ingenlath explains in an official statement. “Their mix of engineering and technological expertise enables us to develop advanced, light-weight sports car technology with a creative mindset and a spirit that embraces innovative engineering. This will set Polestar apart in the years to come.”
Read more: Polestar reveals the 5, expected to rival the Model S
Impressively, the new bespoke underpinning of the Polestar 5 – essentially a production version of the 2020 ‘Precept’ and most recently previewed last December – is also expected to improve torsional rigidity to “that of a two-seater sports or supercar.” Particularly noteworthy if, as expected, Polestar has earmarked the Porsche Taycan and the Audi e-tron GT in particular as rivals for the ‘5’.
“We knew we wanted this car to be lightweight, we knew we wanted high quality and we knew we wanted it quickly,” Head of Polestar UK R&D Pete Allen continues. “This architecture delivers outstanding dynamic and safety attributes, with low investment technology applicable to high production volumes.”
Polestar 5
Ahead of its planned arrival in 2024, its expected – though not yet confirmed – that the Polestar will feature a rear-driving electric motor capable of producing around 595hp, mated with a two-speed gearbox and a 103kWh battery capable, Polestar previously explained, of charging up to 80 per cent in around 20 minutes.
The Polestar 5 is one of three upcoming new models from Volvo’s premium sister brand, the others being the ‘3’, due later this year, and the ‘4’ – also an SUV – expected to arrive in 2023. The already launched Polestar 2 meanwhile recently received a “performance-orientated” upgrade that brought the vehicle’s overall power output in-line with Tesla’s Model 3.
