Polestar O2: Manufacturer shares images of electric convertible concept

Meet the Polestar O₂; the Swedish-manufacturer’s fully electric convertible roadster that could well make it to production.

Images of the hard-top convertible follow Polestar’s announcements of the upcoming Polestar 5 and Polestar 0, the manufacturer’s ‘climate neutral’ project. However, Polestar says its second concept, the O₂, is its vision of open-top performance and driving experience.

Polestar says the driving experience is designed to be “lively, light and full of confidence” with “predictability and playfulness” also being core to “exciting, spirited driving.”

Developed in-house by Polestar’s R&D team in the UK, the O₂ is closely related to the Polestar Precept concept car but with its own distinct character, defined by a low and wide body, compact 2+2 cabin design, minimal overhangs and a long wheelbase, along with classic sports car proportions and a modern, electric feel.

“This car is a meeting point between technology and art, between precision and sculpture, with a determined but not aggressive stance,” said Maximilian Missoni, Polestar’s head of design.

He added: “Polestar O2 is our vision of a new era for sports cars. By mixing the joy of open top driving with the purity of electric mobility, it unlocks a new mix of emotions in a car. But as with all our cars, we are about more than just straight line sprints. It’s when you turn the steering wheel that the true fun begins.”

Aerodynamics are manipulated to maximise range thanks to disguised design features like integrated ducts that improve laminar air flow over the wheels and body sides, and the rear lights that function as air blades to reduce turbulence behind the car.

Polestar says the O₂ follows on from the Precept as a vision of the company’s future design, technology and sustainability ambitions. Polestar plans to launch three new cars over the coming three years, starting in 2022.

“Polestar O2 is the hero car for our brand,” said Thomas Ingenlath, Polestar CEO. “It opens the door to our secret chamber of future potential. This is a taste of what we can design and engineer with the talent and technology we have in-house. It looks incredible, and being able to lower the roof and not hear an engine promises a superb sensation.”

In a world increasingly driven by social media, the Polestar O2 features an autonomous cinematic drone integrated behind the rear seats. Developed in collaboration with Aerofugia’s consumer electronics brand Hoco Flow, the concept drone can be deployed while the car is moving, to record the perfect driving sequence.

Polestar engineers have developed a specialised aerofoil that raises behind the rear seats to create a calm area of negative pressure that allows the drone to take off when the car is on the move. The drone operates autonomously, automatically following the car at speeds up to 90 km/h, and the driver can choose between an atmospheric sequence or a more action-filled sequence with a sportier expression. After filming, the drone can autonomously return to the car. Video clips can be edited and shared directly from the 15-inch centre display when the car is parked.

“We wanted to emphasise the experience you can have with a car like the Polestar O2 in new and unusual ways,” continues Maximilian Missoni. “Integrating an autonomous cinematic drone was something that allowed us to push the boundaries on the innovation front. Not needing to stop and off-load the drone before filming, but rather deploying it at speed, is a key benefit to this innovative design.”