For many buyers, a major hurdle to EV adoption is cost. For a while, there were limited affordable EV electric options. Now that the pre-owned EV market is seeing massive drops in value, there are more opportunities than ever for a reasonably priced way to go electric. So instead of buying the typical mid-sized sedan, you can park a super stylish and high-tech Swedish luxury car in your driveway.
Polestar was Volvo’s electric vehicle offshoot brand, but the parent company is cutting it loose. Polestar will now be funded solely by Geely a Chinese conglomerate. Polestar’s first model was the Polestar 1, an exercise in style over speed and range with an original MSRP in the six figures. The Polestar 2 meanwhile, tries to cover a lot of bases with the ride height of a crossover, the styling of a sedan, and the extra practicality of a hatchback.
Single Motor versions with an output of 299 horsepower and up to 320 miles of range with a starting price of about $50,000. Dual-motor versions start around $56,000 with a 421 HP power upgrade, but a range of 276 miles. Fully loaded models Dual Motor with the upgraded Performance Pack retail for about $63,000, with 455 hp and 247 miles of range. Even with favorable lease programs, the Polestar 2 can be a bit pricey.
However, for mid-sized mainstream sedan money, you can score a lightly used Polestar 2 with reasonable miles and plenty of warranty remaining. According to Autotrader.com, there are about 39 Polestar 2s available under $30,000, but move that budget needle to $35,000 and you are looking at over 100 cars nationwide.
I’ve noticed a good chunk of those cheaper cars are being sold at independent used car lots, whereas the more recent models with lower miles that retail over $30,000 are more likely to be found at franchised dealers. Buyers should always exercise caution when a posted price seems to be too good to be true.
A value that stands out would be this 2022 Polestar 2 with Performance Package and under 5,000 miles for about $32,000.
That’s almost $30,000 in savings and less than the starting price of an Accord Hybrid for a car that can hit 60 miles an hour in about 4 seconds.
Of course, the Model 3 is the benchmark in this class for a compact, luxury, EV, and those would be fine choices at this price point. But for those buyers who aren’t into Tesla and/or don’t want to follow the crowd, the Polestar 2 is certainly worth a look.
Tom McParland is a contributing writer for Jalopnik and runs AutomatchConsulting.com. He takes the hassle out of buying or leasing a car. Got a car buying question? Send it to [email protected]