Game changing update for electric SUV: 800-volt EV charging headlines updates for 2026 Polestar 3 family SUV in Australia as it takes on BMW iX, Audi Q8 e-tron and Mercedes-Benz EQE

Polestar has lowered the price of some grades of its updated Polestar 3 in Australia.

The refreshed electric SUV starts from $116,700, before on-road costs, for the base single motor, which is more than $1700 cheaper than the previous model.

The long-range variant is $1600 cheaper than last year’s pricing, while the top-grade Performance has increased nearly $2300, starting from $146,700 (before on-road costs).

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Read More About Polestar 3

The Polestar 3 is a rival for the BMW iX and Mercedes-Benz EQE, which both have starting prices north of the $130K price bracket.

The main change for the Polestar 3 is the addition of 800-volt architecture, which has improved charging times by more than 25 per cent, according to the brand.

Neither the BMW or the Mercedes-Benz are built on an 800-volt platform, both have 400-volt architecture instead, meaning the Polestar offers faster charging times than its rivals.

All variants can charge at more than 300kW, facilitating a 10-80 per cent charge time of 22 minutes across the range.

2026 Polestar 3

The Polestar may charge faster, but driving range remains competitive between the trio.

The 111kWh battery on the previous model is no longer available on the Polestar 3, due to compatibility with the new 800-volt platform.

The base rear motor variant now comes with a 92kWh battery, which has a driving range of 604km, down from more than 700km.

2026 Polestar 3

Dual-motor variants get a 106kWh battery. The cheaper dual motor has about the same driving range as before, while the Performance grade has seen its range increase to nearly 600km.

The Performance grade also gets a power boost and now produces 500kW and 870Nm, with 0-100km/h taking 3.9 seconds.

This is in part due to a newly-developed rear-mounted motor on all variants.

2026 Polestar 3

As part of the changes for this year’s models, the car is fitted with a premium 25-speaker Bowers & Wilkins sound system and head-up display, among other features as standard.

Otherwise, the cabin is much the same as the previous model but new zippy computer processing, provides a boost to tasks and safety performance.

This upgrade will be available to existing Polestar 3 owners as part of a complimentary hardware retrofit.

2026 Polestar 3

2026 Polestar 3 pricing Australia

Variant	Price (before on-road costs)
Rear motor	$116,700 (-$1700)
Dual Motor	$131,100 (-$1600)
Performance	$146,700 (+$2300)

2026 Polestar 3 electric motor and efficiency

Variant	Rear motor	Dual motor	Performance
Power	245kW	400kW	500kW
Torque	480Nm	740Nm	870Nm
0-100km/h	6.5 seconds	4.7 seconds	3.9 seconds
Battery	92kWh lithium-iron	106kWh lithium-iron	106kWh lithium-iron
Driving range (WLTP)	604km	635km	593km
DC charging capacity	310kW	350kW	350kW
DC charging time 10-80 per cent	22 minutes	22 minutes	22 minutes

2026 Polestar 3 standard features

Feature
Wheel size	20-inch
Central touchscreen size	14.5-inch
Digital driver display size	9.0-inch
Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity	Yes
Speakers	25
Wireless phone charging	Yes
Seat material	Synthetic leather

Other standard features include

Head-up display
Foldable boot floor
Acoustic rear window
Power-operated steering column
Soft-close doors

Upgradeable features:

21-inch wheels	$1900
22-inch wheels	$3800
Dual-chamber air suspension	$3200 or standard on Performance grade
Electrically operated towbar	$2900
Glass roof	$2800
Zinc-coloured leather seats	$7200
Charcoal-coloured leather seats	$6500
Dune-coloured leather seats	$7200
Charcoal-coloured wool interior elements	$1200
Rear privacy window	$700
1.3-megapixel headlights	$3000
Heated steering wheel, rear seats and front wiper blades	$1200