Polestar offers over-the-air power boost for its Polestar 2 sedan

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Polestar has announced a performance upgrade for North American owners, upping the all-electric Polestar 2 by 68 horsepower to a total of 476 horses. The boost in get-go will be an over-the-air update available to those who own a Polestar 2 Long Range Dual Motor sedan.

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The automaker said it’s the first time it’s applied software tuning to an electric car. Polestar was previously the performance division of Volvo, but has since morphed into a subsidiary that exclusively builds electric performance vehicles — with both Swedish companies now owned by China’s Geely. It currently offers the Polestar 2 sedan and upcoming Polestar 3 SUV.

The catch? Those extra horses will cost you $1,595, although Polestar says it’s a permanent upgrade and not a subscription. The Polestar 2 starts at $53,950 with a single motor and front-wheel drive, while the dual-motor AWD version — the one that can get the upgrade — begins at $58,950. The dual-motor version has a range of up to 418 kilometres.

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The upgrade builds on the car’s existing 408 horsepower and 487 lb-ft of torque, upping it to 476 horsepower and 502 lb-ft. Getting to 100 km/h from a standstill will take 4.42 seconds, although Polestar said “the additional power and torque are primarily felt at speeds between 70 and 130 km/h, resulting in even, rapid mid-range acceleration.”

Getting from 80 to 120 km/h takes 2.2 seconds, a half-second quicker than in a car without the power boost. The upgrade also includes a launch control feature, which lets the driver press the accelerator and brake simultaneously, building torque for maximum power at takeoff – as well as stickers to put on your door, so everyone else knows you’ve got the performance upgrade.

“This upgrade highlights how connected technologies can transform the relationship a car company has with its customers,” said Thomas Ingenlath, Polestar’s CEO. “It is such a fun car to drive already, but with this upgrade we can offer even more to our customers who might be after a little extra excitement.”