One of the nice things about an electric vehicle is that you can keep adding more power and performance just by tweaking the software that controls the drivetrain. Case in point, Swedish EV maker Polestar has issued an over-the-air update that boosts the Polestar 2 by 68 hp, completely hands-off.
Eligible Polestar 2 owners in North America will be able to download the upgrade from the Polestar website. Once installed in the car, the update adds 68 horsepower and 15 lb.-ft of torque, bringing output to 476 hp and 502 lb-ft.
The beefed up performance means that the Polestar 2 will now hit 60 mph in 4.2 seconds. The EV will also accelerate from 50 to 75 mph in just 2.2 seconds —half a second quicker than a standard dual-motor Polestar 2 without the update.
“This upgrade highlights how connected technologies can transform the relationship a car company has with its customers,” said Thomas Ingenlath, CEO of Polestar.
“The driving experience in Polestar 2 is something we are really proud of. It is such a fun car to drive already, but with this upgrade we can offer even more to our customers who might be after a little extra excitement.”
This isn’t a subscription that you’ll be tied to for the rest of your life — or as long as you want to go fast in your EV. Instead, it comes with a one-time fee of $1,195.
This is the first time Polestar has issued an over-the-air update for one of its cars. It’s a move that’s been made by Tesla many times already, with things like driver assist features and safety features available to download at home.
Updates such as this are also being toyed with by other automakers. In South Korea, BMW has been testing subscriptions to access features like heated seats and even access to Android Auto on a pay-per-month basis.