The production version of Polestar’s Precept concept car is the first major project being developed at Polestar’s R&D center in the U.K.
The site, located at the MIRA Technology Park near Coventry, was only established in 2019 with a crew of 60 but Polestar’s growing demand for engineering resources means there are now 250 staff present and this will continue to be expanded to beyond 500 staff.
An early prototype for the Precept is being assembled at the site. It reveals that the production Precept’s body will closely match the design of the concept, though the production model looks to have lost the suicide-style rear doors of the concept in favor of traditional doors. Notice the solid B-pillar and rear door handles mounted toward the rear of the car.
Polestar Precept concept
The Precept will enter production before 2025, Polestar has confirmed, and serve as a rolling statement of intent for the brand in terms of design, technology (specifically digital technology), and sustainability.
The concept version was first shown in early 2020. It features a generous wheelbase measuring 122.4 inches, or close to the wheelbase of a Mercedes-Benz S-Class. It has the flared fenders and fastback shape of a grand touring car, and its 22-inch wheels give it a performance flavor. No doubt its powertrain will provide suitable performance to match the look, though Polestar remains quiet in this regard, which makes sense given the rapid rate of change in electric-vehicle technology.
The interior of the concept is dominated by digital technology. The cabin features a 9.0-inch digital instrument cluster and a 15-inch vertically mounted infotainment screen with touch capability. The infotainment also has proximity sensors that adjust both brightness and what information is shown based on hand placement. The screen can also deliver personalized content in concert with the Polestar Digital Key, which is a code stored on the owner’s smartphone. The instrument cluster also has eye-tracking monitors that make the content smaller and more complex when the driver is looking at it and larger, brighter, and more sparse when the driver is looking at the road.
Polestar Precept concept
Polestar Precept concept
Polestar Precept concept
With regard to sustainability, the Precept uses recycled materials, including plastic bottles, fishing nets, and wine cork, for many of the interior materials. Recycled plastic bottles created the seats and headliner. The carpeting is woven from Nylon 6, which is used to make fishing nets. Wine cork is converted into a vinyl used for the seat bolsters and headrests.
Other interior materials are made from a flax-based material called ampliTex from a supplier called Bcomp. The material is strengthened by ribs inspired by leaf veins, and Polestar says it reduces the weight of the panels by 50% and reduces vibrations by 250%. In all, the interior materials reduce the use of plastic by 80% and mean the interior is animal-free.
Polestar has just added a new entry-level option for its Polestar 2 and in 2022 the automaker will add a new model dubbed the Polestar 3. The Polestar 3 will be a crossover, and Polestar will build it at Volvo’s South Carolina plant for deliveries in North America.
