As Polestar 2 is already in production, Polestars 3 and 4 on the horizon and the Precept concept planned to become Polestar 5 in 2024, the Polestar company has just unveiled its latest idea for an electrified vehicle: the convertible concept. Polestar O2.
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“Polestar O2 is our vision for a new era for sports cars,” Polestar design chief Maximilian Misoni said in a press release on Tuesday. “By mixing the joy of driving with an open roof with the purity of electric mobility, he unlocks a new mix of emotions in the car.”
It is reported that O2 will be built on the same “ordered” connected aluminum single-hull platform that the company uses for Polestar 5, and generally resembles the concept design of Precept, from which, according to Polestar PR, “shows how to develops the design of the Polestar language can be adapted to different body styles with a strong family resemblance. “That is, while the Polestar 5 will be a high-performance four-door touring car, the O2 will offer a more compact 2 + 2 sports car feel, although both are built on the same basic foundations.
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Now you may be wondering how an EV convertible would work, given that traditional convertibles are quite inefficient – their frames are thicker and heavier to compensate for the structural strength lost by cutting the roof and their aerodynamics is a mess because again there is no roof – and that’s a great question. The company still has no drag coefficient data to share, but claims that “hidden design features such as integrated ducts that improve laminar airflow over the wheels and sides of the body, and taillights that act as air fins to reduce the turbulence behind the car “are being investigated in order to maximize the range of the vehicle.
With a shorter wheelbase and only rear seats, the O2 offers a sportier, more aggressive stance than the Polestar 2. And those wheels! The exterior is an exploration of sharp lines with a low-hanging cab located between corner fenders and a sharply sloping glass roof that folds back into a wide trunk. It seems that if you mix a Ford F40 with a Porsche 718 Spyder and then smooth out all the curves. Looks like a roadster you’ll see on the streets of Los Santos. I’m a fan.
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The interior sounds equally flexible, including a “thermoplastic mono-material” everywhere for the hard parts, combined with recycled polyester as “the only material used for all soft components”. Because nothing is better than the feeling of sucking the seat when sitting on polyester and plastic in full sun with the roof down.
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Drivers will also be able to film their adventures from top to bottom thanks to the integrated drone for O2 cinema. Developed in collaboration with Hoco Flow, this autonomous camera drone moves in an area of negative pressure generated by an airfoil located behind the rear seats. The drone can follow it at speeds of up to 56 MPH and the shots can then be edited and shared by the central infotainment system once the car is parked. I mean, personally, I would prefer an eATV or even an electric skateboard if carmakers would combine secondary transportation with their vehicle offerings, but certainly the camera drone will definitely stay cool, new and useful after the first few flights. I mean, just look how good they turned out for the Renault KWID or Lexus LF-30 Electric Concept.
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Like the prescription, we probably won’t see street legal O2 as it is now. Instead, Polestar plans to launch three new cars over the next three years, “each of which has the potential to gradually implement some of the ideas presented by these concept cars,” so watch out for low-flying drones.
Editor’s note: This article originally appeared on Engadget.