Polestar O2 is a sleek electric roadster with integrated drone for aerial photography

Polestar, the Swedish manufacturer of electric cars, has announced a new roadster concept called the Polestar O2. The hardtop convertible, which debuted in Los Angeles today, is designed to showcase the automaker’s connected aluminum platform, which it produces domestically, as well as some more bizarre innovations such as an integrated drone for aerial photography.

This is the second concept of the company, which is a joint venture between Volvo and the Chinese parent company of the car manufacturer Geely. And this is a tribute to the company’s roots as a productive selection of Volvo, which has since been redesigned as an EV-only brand.

At first glance, the Polestar O2 seems to be extremely fun to drive. We haven’t seen an electric two-seater sports car introduced after the Tesla Roadster – and even Elon Musk’s next-generation version of his company’s first production car has been postponed until 2023. Most major sports car makers like Lamborghini and Ferrari are still working. on its first electric models, leaving Polestar with its dynamic-looking concept.

As this is just a concept, the company does not release any of the specifications of the Polestar O2, such as time 0-60, battery capacity and range. But in an interview, Polestar CEO Thomas Ingenlatt said the modularity of its connected aluminum platform allows for a bigger battery even within a shortened wheelbase.

“Over 110 kilowatt hours of battery power, we can still pack without any compromise in this short wheelbase,” said Ingenlat.

O2 shares many design features with Polestar’s first concept, the Polestar Precept, including sharp-looking lines and a light signature that reflects Volvo’s Volvo origins. The body of the car is low and wide, with an aggressive stance and compact orientation of the cabin. Polestar calls it the “classic proportions of a sports car” with a more modern electric feel – and it’s hard to argue with that.

“We wanted to make sure that people understood that architecture was capable of serving sports cars like this,” Ingenlat said. “The high-torque, high-power P10 engine we developed for the Precept will find a home in all our products in the highest-performance version … And of course, it can be packed in the roadster here.”

O2 is also an opportunity to demonstrate the environmental qualities of Polestar. The interior is made of a new thermoplastic mono-material, which describes the use of a single basic material for the production of various components. In this case, recycled polyester is used as the sole material for all soft interior components, such as seat foam, glue, 3D braided fibers and non-woven laminate. Polestar says this simplifies recycling and is a step towards “greater circulation” while reducing weight and waste.

“This is an idea we would definitely like to put into production,” Ingenlat said of the use of monomaterial in the interior. “This is how we really use these concept cars to fulfill this ambition and inject energy into the organization to really strive to make it possible.”

And the vehicle’s chassis is designed to make recycling easier. Different grades of aluminum are labeled, which allows them to be recycled more efficiently and retain their properties.

Network view

The most distinctive feature of the Polestar O2 is the inclusion of a “cinematic drone” so that owners can take pictures while driving on a crooked mountain road, for example. The drone – which is also a concept – was developed in collaboration with the consumer electronics brand of Aerofugia Hoco Flow. (Aerofugia is the company founded after Geely acquired the Boston-based vertical takeoff and landing company Terrafugia.) It is designed to be used while the car is moving to record driving sequences.

Ingenlat described the perception of European sports cars, driving on this winding mountain road can be “very old-fashioned” and out of touch with today’s concept of shared experiences.

“We challenged our team and said, ‘Look, guys, how would a modern guy respond to this?’ He said. “The drone is definitely the vehicle for creating memories, for shared moments, for capturing this experience that you have, together with your partner in the car, and the drone can take pictures of you. It can take really exciting dynamic photos of the car or be very relaxed.

Ingenlat said the technology that would integrate the drone into the vehicle was “very feasible”, with the drone following the car at speeds of up to 100 km / h. After shooting, the drone can return to the car autonomously. And videos can be edited and shared directly from the 15-inch central display when the car is parked. Ingenlatt described it as less distracting to the driver than trying to take pictures with your smartphone.

Polestar is already committed to turning its first concept, the Precept, into a production car, the Polestar 5. Could the same happen to the Polestar O2? “Opportunity? Definitely, “Ingenlat said. “I am trying very hard to provoke this issue. I want to make this offer with this car and I will be happy to confirm it in the future. “