Electric

Polestar 2: software upgrade gives 470bhp and 0-62mph in 4.4s

For around €1,000, UK and European 2 owners can unlock power and speed

Vijay PattniPublished: 07 Dec 2021  External link to Top Gear Magazine Subscription – 5 issues for £5Skip 4 photos in the image carousel and continue reading1 / 4

Polestar has released a downloadable software update for the 2, unlocking an additional slug of horsepower and torque and a quicker 0-62mph time. Welcome back to one of the best things about running an electric performance car.

A new upgrade – “the first time Polestar has applied its tuning heritage to its own electric cars” and first previewed at the Goodwood Festival of Speed – is now available in the UK and across selected countries in Europe, and adds 67bhp and 15lb ft of torque to the (deep breath) Polestar 2 Long Range Dual Motor.

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So that’s a grand total of 470bhp and 502lb ft of torque, all from a touch of (presumably) a few buttons. Much easier than bolting on some throttle bodies and a new air filter, right?

Elsewhere, the Polestar 2 Long Name’s 0-62mph time has been cut from 4.7s down to 4.4s. Indeed, it’ll accelerate between 50-75mph (80-120kmh) in 2.2s, which is a full half second quicker than before. That’s quite startling progress. Electricity, huh.

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