The Polestar 5 Sedan Is Here to Take on Porsche’s Taycan

The Polestar 1 is a future classic, the Polestar 2 is pretty good as well, the Polestar 3 is mostly forgettable, and so is the Polestar 4. With the Polestar 5, released globally on Monday, the Volvo-affiliated electric car company is trying to get some of its mojo back. The car is priced at around $150,000 and takes aim at one of the finest EVs ever made: the Porsche Taycan.

The 5, indeed, is meant to be the best Polestar you can buy. In its most powerful configuration, it makes 872 horsepower and can go from zero to 62 mph in 3.2 seconds, according to the brand. Even the less powerful (738 horsepower) dual-motor version can go from zero to 62 mph in just 3.9 seconds. Both cars have a top speed of 155 mph, which is electronically limited. Maximum range is around 416 miles on the dual-motor version and 351 miles in the performance version. The Polestar 5 can charge from 10 percent power to 80 percent power in 22 minutes, Polestar says.

“With its pure Scandinavian design inside and out, unique platform, powerful motors, sophisticated chassis, cutting-edge technology, and consciously sustainable materials, the Polestar 5 is a guiding star for the industry and the perfect Polestar flagship,” Polestar CEO Michael Lohscheller said in a statement.

Polestar is calling the most expensive 5 a grand tourer, but it’s really a super sedan, or a fastback, or even a crossover. The 5 is, in a way, emblematic of the new sort of standard car: not fitting neatly into any segment.

Part of that is simple aerodynamics. EV makers want to impress with power but especially range, which makes aerodynamics paramount. Less drag means less power expended, which means that the car can go further on a single charge. Thus, many EVs have roughly the same shape these days, aerodynamically optimized, quite like a fish. Polestar says the drag coefficient of the 5, for example, is 0.24, not quite as aerodynamic as the Mercedes EQS (0.20) or the Porsche Taycan (0.22), but close enough.

Inside, the car is meant to feel more premium than a Volvo, and almost as roomy as a Lucid, with an eye on sustainability and recycled materials used in various places. And while the Taycan is the most obvious competitor, in terms of size and looks, the Panamera might be a better comparison. The Polestar 5 wants to have a similar presence. There is no rear window, with the rear mirror instead a virtual display, a choice made to make the panoramic glass roof even bigger, or over six feet in length.

Polestar said the 5 is available now in Europe, and starts at $140,500 for the dual motor version, with the top-of-the-line 5 Performance starting at around $167,500.

Click here for more photos of the Polestar 5.