- Swedish performance EV marque Polestar’s next model is the 5 performance sedan
- New video shows some of the hot-weather testing Polestar 5 prototypes had to endure
- The Polestar 5 launches in 2025 with up to 884 hp
Polestar is nearing the end of the development road for its 5 performance sedan, which debuts later this year.
The automaker has been documenting the development via a video series on its official YouTube channel, and the latest video gives a glimpse at the hot-weather testing prototypes—and what their engineers had to endure.
The testing took place in the deserts of Dubai, where ambient temperatures can soar well above 105 degrees F, with cabin temperatures getting even higher. Ensuring a vehicle performs as expected under such extreme conditions requires extensive testing.
For urban environments, where cars experience tight turns, a lot of stopping and starting, and varying speeds, the engineers use a network of roads in an unfinished development known as the Half Desert, on the outskirts of Dubai. For testing of more spirited driving, they head out to the Jebel Jais mountain range.
The real challenge is ensuring the car and its key components remain cool in a consistent and efficient manner, and here software is playing an increasing role. Polestar said its software that controls the 5’s various cooling systems is able to recognize different driving styles and prioritize cooling accordingly.
The 5, a rival to the Porsche Taycan and high-end versions of the Tesla Model S, was first previewed in 2020 with Polestar’s Precept concept car, and camouflaged prototypes suggest the production version will stay true to the lines of the original show car. The car uses an aluminum platform developed in-house at Polestar, and in terms of performance, Polestar has said it is targeting up to 884 hp from a dual-motor all-wheel-drive powertrain.
The 5 was scheduled to be followed in 2026 by a 6 sports car using a shortened version of the 5’s platform, though Polestar in January said the 6 is being put on the back burner as the company focuses on a higher-volume 7 small SUV that is expected to arrive around 2027.
