Polestar 2 Also Getting Over-the-Air Power Hike in 2022
In an early holiday present, the EPA has awarded the Polestar 2 single motor EV a 270 mile range estimate and given the Kia EV6 single motor a 310-mile estimate.
Both figures are slightly higher than expected and the Kia EV6 numbers may ruffle one competitor’s feathers a bit.
Kia Beats Big Brother
Kia and Hyundai and owned by Hyundai Motor Group but compete as rivals. They co-developed the platform used for both the EV6 and the Hyundai Ioniq 5, but the Kia appears to have a slightly more aerodynamic design and perhaps a bit of a weight advantage over corporate big brother Hyundai’s new EV.
Range estimates for all three EV6 configurations are higher than for the corresponding Ioniq 5 models, although their platforms and powertrains are identical.
The EPA says the Kia EV6 with the long range 77.4 kilowatt-hour battery and single motor, rear-wheel drive system will deliver up to 310 miles per charge. The Ioniq 5 with the same specs is rated at 303 miles.
The long-range dual motor all-wheel drive EV6 is rated at 274 miles, versus 256 miles for the Ioniq 5 Dual AWD.
Kia’s standard range model with a 58 kWh battery and single motor, rear-drive layout, got a 249-mile rating while the Ioniq 5 with identical specs is rated at 220 miles.
Kia also has developed a GT version of the EV 6 and slated deliveries of the 576-horsepower speedster to begin in late 2022. The EPA hasn’t yet developed its range rating, but we don’t expect it to be more than 220 miles and it could come it at less. European models were rated at 245 miles on the WLTP system used in Asia and Europe. The U.S. range rating system is tougher and factors in more high speed driving, which eats into range.
Hyundai has begin delivering the long-range Ioniq 5 models to dealerships with the standard range model slated for a Spring 2022 introduction. Both standard and long range trims of the EV6 (except the GT) won’t hit dealerships until the sometime in the first quarter of 2022.
The Polestar Bump-Ups
Polestar, an EV maker owned by Volvo, initially had thought the EPA estimate for the Polestar 2 single motor model with the long range battery would come in would come in at around 265 miles but ended up with a 270-mile rating. It’s not not a big difference but every mile helps in the increasingly competitive electric car market.
Polestar also announced that it’s over-the-air software upgrades are proceeding with the latest adding a number of improvements in the Polestar 2 user interface as well as refinements to the advanced driving assistance system.
An OTA update for the Polestar 2 Long Range Dual motor trim, slated to be broadcast “soon” to owners who opt to pay for it, will re-tune the power delivery and battery management electronics to add 67 horsepower and 15 pound-feet of torque. Neither pricing nor launch timing for the power upgrade has been announced.
With the update, the Polestar 2 Long Range Dual models will have 476 horsepower and 502 pound-feet of torque, up from 409 ponies and 487 lb.-ft. The model’s EPA Range estimate apparently will stay the same for now – 249 miles – as for models that don’t get the optional power increase.