Polestar considers its O2 roadster idea a “hero car,” however right here’s the factor about hero automobiles — they’re not very heroic in the event that they don’t exist. While the Volvo spinoff hasn’t fessed to a manufacturing plan for the O2 but, it may very nicely nonetheless occur, per just a few statements made by model chief Thomas Ingenlath to Top Gear revealed on Friday.
“My ambition is to make it a production car,” Ingenlath instructed TopGear.com, “but it’s not that easy.”
Surely because the boss he can simply push the button and make it so? “You have to respect the complexity,” he stated. “We have to see where the O2 is going. When you’ve painted a painting, it’s always good to let it rest, and look at it after a couple of months and still see if it’s a good painting.”
I consider Ingenlath when he says “it’s not that easy.” Toyota, the largest carmaker on the planet, couldn’t rationalize constructing an inline six-powered two-seater with out BMW’s legwork. Polestar has a multi-year technique to flesh out a complete vary of EVs, and the O2 can be probably the most expendable member of that roster from a business standpoint. That’s the humorous factor about hero automobiles — they solely have worth as a result of automakers say they do.
The remainder of that interview snippet is a bit more perplexing. “We have to see where the O2 is going,” the manager cryptically cautions, as if the electrical roadster is sentient and might decide that for itself. (It does home a drone, for what it’s price.)
And then we’ve got the portray metaphor. I feel I perceive what Ingenlath means — Polestar must reassess the O2’s market viability from a extra pragmatic, logical place, with out getting too swept up within the pleasure of the undertaking. But the best way he places it, it’s nearly like he doesn’t have a lot religion within the design itself. Which can be odd as a result of — and I don’t suppose it’s controversial to say this — it seems improbable.
A automotive just like the O2 ought to be inside attain. Automakers have championed the modularity of battery-electric powertrains and the way they’ll supposedly allow a spread of physique types on frequent skateboard-like chassis. That’s why Volkswagen can put the shell of a bus on the identical structure it’s going to make use of for a fastback sedan. Polestar may understand the O2 in a similar way, and I wouldn’t be stunned if it’s already determined it’ll.
Maybe the time isn’t proper to share that but, seeing as how the Polestar 5’s solely simply been revealed. But if Polestar’s going to make this occur, it shouldn’t threat ready too lengthy. The world’s nonetheless ready for its first semi-attainable electrical sports activities automotive, and the O2 would make for a stunning try.
Source: jalopnik.com