Made-in-USA Polestar 3 performance SUV priced at $84,000 with top safety feature that scans for forgotten children or pets

After teasing it throughout the summer, the Swedish EV maker finally unveiled its Polestar 3 "performance SUV" that will for the first time be made in the US. Equipped with a big 111 kWh battery pack that offers about 300 miles of EPA range on a charge, and up to 380 kW electric motors that produce up to 910 Nm of torque, the Polestar 3 release date is set for Q3 of next year.

It will initially be available in only one trim in the US - the dual-motor Polestar 3 priced at US$84,000 - but cheaper versions will follow once Polestar starts making it at the Volvo factory in South Carolina in 2024. According to Thomas Ingenlath, Polestar's CEO:

Polestar 3 is a powerful electric SUV that appeals to the senses with a distinct, Scandinavian design and excellent driving dynamics. It takes our manufacturing footprint to the next level, bringing Polestar production to the United States. We are proud and excited to expand our portfolio as we continue our rapid growth... This car has been designed as a Polestar from the start and features new defining characteristics for us – like the dual blade headlights, SmartZone and front aero wing.

Not only is Polestar 3 quite the distinctive electric SUV design, but it is also powered by NVIDIA and Qualcomm Snapdragon chipsets on the inside. In fact, this is Polestar's first vehicle featuring the NVIDIA DRIVE automotive processing platform running AI software developed by Volvo, as well as the dedicated Snapdragon Cockpit Platform for the infotainment system that will power Android Automotive which Polestar has chosen as the in-car operating system.

As can be expected from a car co-developed with Volvo, even the base Polestar 3 comes with five radars, five external cameras, and twelve external ultrasonic sensors as safety hardware. An optional Pilot Pack with LiDAR from Luminar can add three extra cameras and four ultrasonic sensors for "enhanced 3D scanning of the car’s surroundings in greater detail" that prepares the car for the self-driving era.

All models will sport air suspension, heat pump, a panoramic glass sunroof, LED lighting everywhere, retractable door handles, and 21-inch wheels. For the first time, Polestar 3 will offer Volvo's interior radars that scan for tiny movements in order to detect forgotten pets or children and adjust the car's A/C according to the outside temperature.

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