Upgraded 2026 Polestar 3 is “Like an Entirely New Car,” CEO Says
Just like the Volvo EX90 that’s built at the same factory in South Carolina, the Polestar 3 receives major improvements for the 2026 model year including a new 800V electrical architecture, a substantial increase in power, faster charging, as well as and greater core computer processing power.
“The upgrades to Polestar 3 are so extensive, it’s like an entirely new car,” Polestar CEO Michael Lohscheller says. “With this upgrade we continue to deliver on our commitment to add value for our customers through over-the-air software and hardware updates. The already amazing Polestar 3 is now better than ever.”
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While retaining its SPA2 platform, the 2026 Polestar 3 moves from a 400V electrical architecture to an 800V architecture, which will now allow up to 350 kW of DC charging capability. This means that bringing the battery from 10 to 80% will take as little as 22 minutes, about 25% faster than before.
According to Polestar, the new architecture also brings up to 6% increased efficiency (official range estimates TBD) and supports the integration of new lithium-ion batteries from Chinese supplier CATL, including a 106kWh pack for the Dual motor and Performance models.
Then there’s a new, more powerful rear electric motor on all models, resulting in a total of 500 kW (671 hp) in the case of the Polestar 3 Performance. This is the only output figure provided by the company at the moment. Furthermore, the front motor now features automatic disconnect functionality when not needed, just as on Dual motor versions of the Polestar 2, improving efficiency and range during everyday driving.
Inside, the biggest news for 2026 is a significantly upgraded core computing system. The NVIDIA DRIVE AGX Orin processor replaces the previous Xavier unit, increasing processing power from 30 to 254 trillion operations per second. This will enable faster and more intelligent management of active safety systems, battery performance and sensor data, Polestar claims. And hopefully reduce the number of bugs, too.
As is the case with the Volvo EX90, current Polestar 3 owners will not be left out. The hardware upgrade will be offered as a complimentary retrofit starting at some point in the first half of 2026.
Further details for the Canadian market, including pricing, will be announced closer to the on-sale date. Remember, the 2026 model year also marks the launch in Canada of the Polestar 4, a new coupe-style crossover with no rear window and a lower price tag than the Polestar 3.
