2024 Polestar 5 electric car previewed: price, specs and release date

On sale: 2024 | Price from: £100,000 (est.)

Every TV show or movie has a well-known character who makes it instantly recognisable. Marvel’s Spider-Man, EastEnders' Phil Mitchell and Only Fools and Horses’ Del Boy, for instance. Similarly, the new Polestar 5 performance saloon is destined to be the star of the electric car brand’s line-up, sitting at the top of the company’s range.

The Polestar 5 is a rival to the Porsche Taycan and is powered by two electric motors – one on the front axle and one on the rear – giving it four-wheel drive. Combined, the two motors produce 874bhp and 663lb ft of torque, which is more than the 751bhp produced in more powerful versions of the Taycan and the 637bhp Audi E-Tron GT.

This is the first Polestar model to be developed in the UK, and is based on bespoke new underpinnings. The 5 has been given an ultra-stiff body and suspension set-up for a sporty driving experience.

While Polestar has not yet revealed battery details, we can expect the 5 to have a larger battery capacity (something in the 100kWh region) than its sibling, the Polestar 2. That should give it an official range of up to 300 miles, which is less than the Mercedes EQS but slightly more than most versions of the Taycan.

The 5 also comes with 800V charging, which increases the voltage when charging a car, lowering the overall charging time. To put this in context, the Taycan (which has a 93kWh battery), takes an hour to charge to 80% using a 50kW public charger, but that time drops to around 20 minutes with 800V charging. 

Styling-wise, the 5 will draw inspiration from the Polestar Precept Concept, which was first revealed in 2020. With a length similar to the Mercedes EQS (5216mm), the 5 will feature a sleek fastback body with a low, panoramic glass roof.

Other details include camera door mirrors (which project the image of the rear view on to a screen in place of a door mirror), large alloy wheels and reverse-opening rear doors. 

Inside, the Polestar 5 continues to take inspiration from the Precept, with a minimalist interior with sustainably sourced materials. The dashboard is dominated by an 11.0in touchscreen infotainment system, and a driver’s display screen is placed behind the steering wheel.

The absence of buttons means that all main functions will be controlled through the system. We didn’t mind that in the Polestar 2, but we do prefer more physical controls because they are less distracting to use when you're driving. 

Full pricing and specifications are yet to be confirmed by Polestar, but we expect the 5 to cost from around £100,000 – which is a fair bit more than the Taycan and the E-tron GT in lower-powered forms, but on a par with the Mercedes EQS.

For all the latest reviews, advice and new car deals, sign up to the What Car? newsletter here

Read more: Best performance cars 2022 >>