Polestar 2 2026 News

Electric vehicle sales are booming in Australia as international and domestic factors contribute to substantial EV uptake. The Electric Vehicle Council (EVC) data for the first quarter of 2026 reveals EV sales are up 40 per cent compared to this time last year. In the first quarter of this year, Tesla and Polestar have sold nearly 8000 units between them, which is also a sizable increase on 2025 numbers. This number is likely to be even higher, with only Tesla and Polestar reporting to the EVC, meaning much of the ever-increasing range of electric cars are not part of this latest data set. Official data for April from VFACTS will be released next week.This includes strong selling EV models such as the Zeekr 7X, which has had a flying start to life in Australia, along with many electric BYD models. Tesla accumulated 3485 sales for March 2026, more than 600 extra units compared to March 2025. The Model Y SUV continues to be the brand’s most popular model, with 2818 units shifted in March 2026, more than 1000 up on the same time last year. Tesla will soon introduce a six-seater version of its best-seller called the Model Y L, which will arrive in the coming weeks. The Model 3 sedan has not had the same positive sales result as its SUV sibling, with a 40 per cent drop compared to the same period last year. Polestar has also not experienced the same sales increase, with its Polestar 2 and Polestar 3 experiencing sharp drop-offs, while Polestar 4 sales improved slightly. This latest data comes at a time when rising fuel prices are sending demand for EVs skyrocketing.EVC Chief Executive Julie Delvecchio said this latest data indicates an acceleration of the EV shift for Australia. “Volatile global oil markets are changing the conversation. Australians aren't asking whether EVs are the future anymore. They're asking which one they can get their hands on, and when,” Delvecchio said. This electric sale acceleration is also being brought on by the government's National Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES) which is placing pressure on brands to electrify their line-ups or face fines. Major brands have already started hiking prices on petrol units, while introducing new EV models to offset the potential impacts of the emissions-based scheme.

Polestar has announced a huge battery recycling initiative on some of its key models. Some Polestar 2 and Polestar 3 models will be fitted with batteries that include at least 50 per cent recycled cobalt. As part of its partnership with Volvo battery centres, Polestar 2 and 3 models requiring a battery replacement will be installed with a refurbished unit as opposed to a new one. Cobalt is a key material in many types of car batteries, such as lithium-iron and Nickel-Managenese-Cobalt (NMC). Polestar uses NMC batteries across its range, meaning mined cobalt is integral to the brand, but this latest initiative demonstrates it is trying moving away from that reliance.The majority of all mined cobalt comes from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), which is said to have half the world’s reserves.The extraction of cobalt in the DRC has given rise to concerns over the health and safety of people involved as well as the legality of the process itself. Extracting cobalt releases fine dust particles and dangerous chemical byproducts leading to contamination.There have also been substantiated reports of illegal working conditions, including broader African mining practices. Cobalt carries with it a heavy price tag as well.These issues have seen some car manufacturers move away from cobalt-dependent batteries, opting for different make-ups such as lithium-iron-phosphate, which are cheaper, but not as efficient. Polestar said it aims to reduce reliance on virgin materials, such as cobalt, and keep resources in use for longer. “... a key focus is to extend battery life and retain the battery’s value for as long as possible, which benefits both the environment and the customer experience,” the brand said.Polestar is also looking into developing recycling initiatives in other global markets, which is in line with many other manufacturers. The European Union has already introduced increasingly tough battery recycling mandates for car makers. This includes a 90 per cent cobalt reduction mandate by 2027, shifting to 95 per cent by the end of the decade. In Australia, Nissan is re-using a few of its first generation Leaf NMC batteries to power part of the company’s part manufacturing plant.BMW has a similar recycling initiative for its i3 batteries in Australia.

A new player has joined the all-electric passenger car game, with the Mazda 6e officially priced in Australia ahead of its impending launch. Now is a good time to look at how this new competitor shapes up to its primary rivals in the BYD Seal, Polestar 2 and Tesla Model 3. All four of these cars take on a sedan-style body shape (although some have a hatch tailgate), all are built in China, and all created some fanfare when they arrived in Australia. The established three players have had a few years to settle in, while Mazda’s EV will need to hit the ground running as the first of the brand’s renewed electric push, and a major part of its strategy to reduce its emissions as one of the manufacturers most exposed to Australia's new emissions laws.Here is how the 6e compares to those it will need to take down if it is to be a success. The 6e, which is a platform-share with the China-market Deepal L07, has been priced competitively.It is virtually the same price as the BYD seal, while coming in at roughly $5000 cheaper than the Model 3 and more than $10000 cheaper than the Polestar 2. As you walk up the line-up for these cars the 6e’s up-spec model costs an additional $3000, which gets you leather and synthetic suede seats, a leather steering wheel, and a synthetic suede interior. The other trio’s pricing for higher trim models extends into the $60,000s, $70,000s and even $80,000 range for the Model 3, but with that comes much more gear, larger batteries and the addition of all-wheel drive. The Mazda is the longest out of all its competitors, being closer in size to a large sedan rather than a mid-sizer.When it comes to power, the 6e lines up pretty closely to the rest of the pack of entry-level rivals, but it has the least grunt out of all of them.The Mazda wins out on driving range, with its bigger battery offering 560km, which is more than the Tesla and significantly more than the Seal and Polestar 2, which have ranges in the 400km bracket.There is not much in it on the charging front, but the 6e’s 10-80 per cent changing time takes the title on official numbers. All four cars have single rear-mounted motors. Unlike the 6e, the Seal, Polestar 2 and Model 3 all have options further up the scale for all-wheel drive. The 6e boasts an impressive list of standard features, which includes a 14.6-inch central touchscreen and 10.2-inch digital driver display, as well as synthetic leather seats, which are heated and ventilated in the front. The Seal’s touchscreen is bigger than the Mazda’s, and shares many of the same features, which in part explains the similar pricing of the pair. It does only have 18-inch wheels as standard like the Model 3 compared to the BYD Seal and Polestar 19-inches. If you’re keen to pump your tunes, the Mazda 6e’s has the biggest audio system out of its rivals, with its 14 speaker Sony system. Wireless phone charging, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto is standard on the 6e and the Seal, but the Polestar 2 only has a wired connection as standard, while the Model 3 does not have any such connectivity. Standard safety features for each car listed below:The Mazda 6e has not been crash tested yet, but its rivals have all achieved five-star ANCAP ratings.All models have the standard safety gear you would expect from modern cars, with a high number of airbags and advanced driving assistance systems.The Mazda 6e seems priced just about right to ensure buyers give it some serious consideration in the segment. In an age where driving range remains the key question of any EV, sitting at the top of the pile means it is a compelling proposition. It will have a fight on its hands to eat into the sales of competitors which have been around for much longer than it and boast similar specifications and trim. Time will tell whether the 6e will have the desired impact Mazda needs it to have as it paves the way for future EVs from the brand. 

The Australian federal government is looking to potentially scrap or alter its electric vehicle (EV) tax relief but Polestar Australia has said this could prematurely stunt sales growth.Since July 2022, novated lease buyers of an EVs and previously plug-in hybrids (PHEV) under the Luxury Car Tax (LCT) threshold for fuel-efficient vehicles have been exempt from Fringe Benefits Tax (FBT).The policy will cost $1.35 billion this financial year, or 15 times more than originally forecast, according to the Australian Financial Review.As EV sales continue to gain traction in Australia, Polestar Australia Managing Director Scott Maynard said the government shouldn’t change things now.“This is not the time to change the settings that they've got on the FBT relief for electric vehicles,” said Maynard.“So the government's published goal is to see 50 per cent of the market buying electric vehicles by 2035. They're nowhere near that, and they're not tracking towards that.“So I fail to see how the program could be overspent when the results are underdone. The two simply don't line up.“It would suggest that the problem here is that it was under budgeted from the start.“It's great to see the electric vehicle share of the light vehicle market has now risen above 10 per cent for the year and continues to increase.“That's great, but at the first sign of success, I don't think that that would be the time to dismantle or even change the program.”As it currently stands, versions of the Polestar 2 and Polestar 4 are below the LCT threshold and can be exempt from FBT if you get a novated lease.Sales of Polestar cars also went up 38.5 per cent year-on-year during 2025, likely due in part to how the FBT exemption has helped spur growing EV sales.“If the government is seeking to rationalise its expense through FBT subsidies, I feel strongly that it should be looking at the money it's investing in the sale of dual-cab utes before it looks at electric vehicles,” added Maynard.“We all accept that electric vehicles present Australian drivers now with sufficient choice, a lower running cost, and vehicles that are fun to drive and easy to own, and we all accept that there's tangible and measurable health benefits to to the cleaner air that they that they will provide us, and yet we don't think twice about the billions of dollars is that the government is sinking into the sale of dual-cab ute to the point where now, where we're selling one and a half times the utes that we have tradespeople.“We're selling these things with an FBT subsidy of prices in excess of $200,000. That would seem to me to be a much easier win than going after a corner of the market that's doing good things and not enough of them.”Currently vehicles like a single- or dual-cab ute, van, hearse and taxi, among a few others are exempt from FBT provided they are for business purposes and have limited private use.It’s worth noting that utes are still among the best-selling vehicles in Australia and many are diesel-powered.These types of vehicles also have a more lenient CO2 target to hit as part of the government’s New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES), though this will still get harder for carmakers to achieve as the years go on and the target is reduced.

Australians love high-performance cars and Polestar says more can’t come soon enough.Polestar Australia Managing Director Scott Maynard said he would consider bringing the brand’s BST high-performance offerings if development continues.“I think Australia is a market that loves high-performance product I'd love to see the continued development of some of the BST range,” said Maynard.“We've seen some real interest in that product when it was here previously, and I don't feel that we really gave it its head.“And so to be able to offer up a bit more of the BST line-up as a spin-off, to some of the vehicles that we've either got or are going to get, I think would be tremendous.“I'll take that.”Polestar’s BST line started back in 2022 and to date there have been two limited-edition versions of the Polestar 2 offered globally. Neither came to Australia though.Based on the Polestar 2 Long range Dual motor with the optional Performance Pack, both the Polestar 2 BST Edition 270 and BST Edition 230 gain features like a 25mm lower ride height, stiffer shock absorbers and a front strut bar. They also had unique designs.This is above and beyond standard equipment like the Brembo brakes with golden brake calipers and two-way manually adjustable Öhlins dampers.Power and torque from the dual-motor all-wheel drive set-up remain unchanged over the standard car. Total system outputs were 350kW of power and 680Nm of torque.It’s worth noting that the current 2026 Polestar 2 Long range Dual Motor with the optional Performance package now produces more torque at 740Nm. It can also do the 0-100km/h sprint in 4.2 seconds.At this stage it’s unclear whether Polestar plans to create any more versions of the Polestar 2 BST to rival the likes of the Tesla Model 3 Performance and BYD Seal Performance, among others.The Polestar 2 is getting on in years now and originally dates back to 2016 when it was first revealed as a Volvo concept. It’s been on sale in Australia now since 2021 and already received a major mid-life update in 2024.It’s also unclear whether Polestar plans to officially give the BST treatment to any of its other vehicles.In 2024 Polestar revealed the BST concept which was a hotted-up version of the forthcoming Polestar 6 electric convertible.It featured a swan-neck rear wing, aggressive front fascia, dramatic rear diffuser, bonnet vents, as well as flared wheel arches to accommodate a wider track width.Although the Polestar 6 was previously slated for production in 2026, Polestar has no longer confirmed when it will begin producing examples.The Swedish electric vehicle (EV) carmaker also currently has the Polestar 3 and Polestar 4 large electric SUVs and later this year is set to launch the Polestar 5 liftback in Australia.The latter is a Porsche Taycan rival that already offers up to 650kW of power and can do the 0-100km/h sprint in 3.2 seconds.

The Tesla Model Y has a monster month in September 2025.

After close to four years in market, the car that started it all for Polestar in Australia, the pure-electric, mid-size, liftback Polestar 2 has received a substantial upgrade ranging from faster charging for the Standard range Single motor variant, additional optional features, a fresh wheel design as part of the ‘Performance Pack’ and a new exterior colour.