Swedish electric automaker Polestar has announced an OTA-based performance upgrade for the Polestar 2 for a one-time fee of $1,195. It’s becoming common for carmakers to charge customers for power upgrades, as seen in the case of Mercedes-Benz. The German company recently announced a new subscription service that brings improved acceleration, torque, and horsepower. The update is available as a yearly $1,200 subscription for its EQ lineup which comprises models like the EQS, EQE, and others.
The Polestar 2 recently earned a 5-star safety rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). To increase buyer interest in the EV, Polestar has partnered with Electrify America. New Polestar 2 buyers are eligible for two years of complimentary charging access. Although charging has been identified as a major issue hindering the widespread adoption of EVs, free charging is a valuable incentive that should entice more drivers to make the switch.
According to Polestar, its new performance upgrade adds 68 hp and 15 lb-ft of torque to the Polestar 2. This means that the sedan will now have a max power output of 476 hp and 502 lb-ft of torque, respectively. Not only does this optimize the driving experience, but it is the first time that Polestar has released an update using the vehicle’s OTA capability. For now, only customers in the U.S. and Canada can download this upgrade from the cloud. Polestar is charging a one-time fee of $1,195 for the upgrade, unlike Mercedes-Benz which requires an annual subscription. Aside from improvements to horsepower and torque, the Polestar 2 also gets improved acceleration, which decreases the 0 to 60 mph record to 4.2 seconds from the former 4.4 seconds.
Connected Car Technology Is The Future
Polestar isn’t the first company to release an OTA-based upgrade, and it won’t be the last. Many automakers are now tapping into the potential of connected technologies for their products to bring in new features over the years. Several electric cars can now be remotely accessed using a smartphone app which also acts as a resource for updates, shares useful information about the vehicle’s remaining range, displays available charging stations, and much more.
As competition in the EV scene heats up, the major players and newbies will utilize every possible means to outdo one another. From the degree of safety offered by a model’s driver assistance system to the number of functionalities present in a vehicle’s mobile application, it’ll be interesting to see how vehicles evolve in the coming years. But then, Polestar and other automakers must also shift their attention to the possibilities of car hacks and how best to avoid the risk of a system breach.
