Polestar 2 review - Range, charging and running costs

There’s no getting away from it - the Polestar 2 is an expensive car to buy or lease. However, the Polestar 2 is cheaper to buy than a Tesla Model 3, and once you begin to factor in the lower running costs of an electric car, compared to its fossil fuel rivals, then the benefits of running an EV become clearer.

With the Polestar’s 78kWh battery supplying 72.5kWh of actual usable energy, a full charge from empty should cost an average of just over £10. The 2 has an efficiency rate of 3.2 miles for every kWh of energy used, which gives a realistic range of 232 miles. 

If you were to cover 12,000 miles over a year, you’d be looking at an annual energy bill of just £540. In comparison, a similarly priced, diesel-powered Audi S5 Sportback would cost an average of £1,700 over the same mileage.

Insurance groups

The Polestar 2 sits in group 42 for insurance, although the Tesla Model 3 will incur higher premiums as it occupies groups 48-50. The Tesla was judged by industry testers, Thatcham Research, to only offer ‘basic’ levels of protection for vehicle security, and so incurs higher insurance costs.

Depreciation

Data suggests the Polestar 2 will be a strong performer on the second-hand market. After 3 years and 36,000 miles the Swedish hatchback is predicted to hold on to around 60% of its original list price, which puts it right up at the top of the class.