Swedish EV Maker Polestar Leverages its Racing Heritage to Make its Cars Fun to Drive

Joakim Rydholm is the head of chassis engineering at Polestar, a Swedish manufacturer of electric vehicles. Until 2017, Polestar operated under Volvo, making sportier versions of its cars. The company separated to focus on building a line of premium electric vehicles that prioritize driving dynamics.

Rydholm has been with Polestar since the beginning, coming from Volvo and bringing three decades of experience to the team. He’s also an accomplished rally driver who still competes in Swedish rally stages in a Mitsubishi Lancer EVO X.

He spends much of his time in his “office,” an ice track on a frozen lake north of the Arctic Circle, fine-tuning the handling of the company’s cars. The culmination of this work can be seen in what he describes as a passion project: one-off Arctic Circle rally cars based on the production versions of the Polestar 2, 3, and 4. They have custom three-way Öhlins dampers, increased ride height, special wheels and tires, and rally-spec touches like quad spotlights and full racing buckets.

Rydholm offers rides under the night sky, a rare opportunity. Out on the ice, the only sound you hear is the special tires armed with 300 4-mm studs biting into the frozen surface as we hurtle sideways at over 150 km/h. Rydholm is relaxed, steering with one hand, gently grazing the snow banks with the bumper, and maintaining the perfect line with skilled use of his left foot to brake.

His work at the company started with the Polestar 1, a limited-production grand tourer. The Polestar 1 was a halo car that Rydholm says was created to make a statement, sending a clear message of where Polestar belonged in the market. “It was a dream project for an engineer,” he says.

A plug-in hybrid, the Polestar 1 used a turbo and supercharged four-cylinder to drive the front wheels and two electric motors to provide twist at the rear. A 34-kWh battery enabled an electric-only range of over 100 km. The carbon fibre-reinforced polymer body was as advanced as it was beautiful. The Polestar 1 wasn’t just a pretty face, however, with exotic Öhlins dampers and massive Akebono brakes, it was built to perform. Rydholm says he did 250 km/h on the ice during testing because he could.

This “halo” car was an ambitious start for Polestar, but it wasn’t going to win many customers with a run of just 1,500 units. The 1 was soon followed by the 2, named because it was the second car the company revealed. A compact sedan, this entry-level model is the current volume seller but it still encapsulates everything special about the first car. 

“[The Polestar 2] had the same crispy steering, the same character, Öhlins dampers, tuning, and software,” says Rydholm. “The Polestar 1 helped us set the tone and pace of where we belong.”

Öhlins makes dampers for Formula 1, Indy Car, MotoGP, and also hypercars like the Koenigsegg Agera. According to Rydholm, Polestar fits more Öhlins dampers in its cars than anyone else in the world. He says they cost up to 10 times more than other dampers, but the quality is worth it. “They’re easy to tune with a lot of range, and there’s the racing heritage,” he says.

Polestar also works closely with Michelin to develop its tires and Brembo for its brakes, choosing the highest quality components because they go hand in hand with what the brand does.

The steering is very important, according to Rydholm.

“Without good steering, you don’t get the confidence that you need to drive the car,” he says. “Steering, pedals, and the seats; that’s what talks to the driver.”

The latest Polestars, the 3 and 4, arrived last year. The 3 is the company’s first SUV, and the 4 is a coupe-like SUV that’s like a grown-up version of the Polestar 2, Rydholm says. It was the subject of some controversy because it was the first passenger vehicle to eliminate the rear window in favour of cameras and a digital rear-view mirror.

All three cars have the same DNA that’s filtered down from the Polestar 1, including an excellent traction control system that allows generous levels of slip when it’s set to sport mode. You can even do donuts, something that’s not possible in a lot of EVs.

On the ice track, we were able to slide all three Polestars to our heart’s content. As long as you look in the direction you want to go, your hands tend to follow, automatically adjusting the steering lock to keep you pointed where you need to go. The system only intervenes if you overturn the wheel or clamp down on the brakes. Rydholm says that as long as you respect the steering, the system will give you the freedom to have as much fun as you want.

“I tried to create three different cars with the same DNA,” he says. “The Polestar 2 should be a bit more fun and have a bit more character, and an SUV should be more relaxed.”

The Polestar 3 is the first model to feature a software-controlled torque-vectoring system and an adjustable air suspension. It’s the biggest and heaviest Polestar, but it still feels light on its feet.

While still a relative newcomer, Polestar’s racing heritage and experience tuning cars have given the brand a distinct position within the premium EV space. The new and fresh lineup is innovative with compelling design, and thanks to Rydholm, they’re a lot of fun to drive.