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Polestar 2 Charging Guide: Charge times, speed and cost

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Polestar 2 Charging

Launching in 2022, the Polestar 2 liftback is Polestar’s first pure electric vehicle.

The Polestar 2 comes in three variants that are distinguished by different drivetrain and battery pack configurations - catering for different needs and budgets. These are summarised in the below table.

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The base model, known simply as the Standard Range Single Motor, starts from $63,900 before on-road costs and incentives, features up to 540km of driving range (WLTP), and Android Automotive infotainment system with built-in Google Maps.

How and Where to Charge a Polestar 2

Polestar 2 Charging Station, Port and Plug Type

The Polestar 2 charging port range uses the CCS standard, which features a combined AC and DC inlet port. The top portion of the inlet is for the Type 2 connector, which is used for AC charging at home, work or at public chargers (e.g. shopping centre car parks).

AC Charger in a carpark (left) and DC Fast Charger (right)AC Charger in a carpark (left) and DC Fast Charger (right)
AC Charger in a carpark (left) and DC Fast Charger (right)

For public fast/rapid DC charging, both the upper and lower sections on the inlet are used to support the high power output required. The Polestar 2 CCS charging inlet is found on the left rear side of the vehicle.

The Polestar 2 can be slow, fast, and rapid charged from public charging stations (refer below). In most cases:

  • Slow charging requires a three-pin to Type 2 cable, usually supplied with the car.
  • Public AC charging will feature a tethered Type 2 connector or may require a Type 2 to Type 2 cable.
  • Rapid DC charging uses a tethered CCS connector which is part of the charging unit.
Type 2 CCS plug types

1. Find a public charging station for fast and rapid chargers

Plugshare is the easiest way to find any public AC and DC electric vehicle charging station in your area. It displays a map and overall rating of each charger from check-ins and comments.

Polestar 2 Android Google Maps

Additionally, use the in-built Google maps in the Polestar 2 or charging providers app like Chargefox or Evie Networks to view the live availability of stations and check whether a stall may be out-of-action.

2. Connect charging cable to car

Driving up to the charger, ensure that your vehicle’s charging port, located on the left rear side, is nearest the stall. This may require you to drive in or reverse into the charging spot.

Once parked, grab the appropriate charging connector type from the stall’s holster, open the Polestar 2’s charging flap and any other caps, and firmly plug it into the vehicle.

3. Confirm charging has started

Use the charging provider’s mobile app or tap the RFID card on the stall to activate the charging session. You may need to press a start button on some charging stalls, too.

After a few seconds of communicating with the Polestar 2, you can see the charging status via the station’s screen, the vehicle’s driver instrument display, or the mobile app.

How Long Does it Take to Charge a Polestar 2

Level 1 and 2 Charging (slow)

Level 1 and 2 Charging refers to charging from a power socket or a mounted charger. This is typically done at home, work or shopping centre car parks.

The Polestar 2 is capable of charging at a maximum of 11 kW with its onboard charger, however this requires a three-phase power supply and charger, typically found at public car parks or business premises. The power supply in homes is likely single phase, meaning the maximum power you can draw from the onboard charger is ~7 kW.

Charging a Polestar 2 using a portable charger and a standard 10A power will add 17km of range per hour. A full charge would take 35 hours. Upgrading the power source to 32A, will increase range added per hour to 52km and reduce the charge time to less than 12 hours.

Level 3 Charging (fast, rapid)

Charging a Polestar 2 extended range from 10% to 80% at a fast/rapid DC charging station can be done in as little as 30 minutes, providing 336km of range. It is recommended to limit the charging at rapid chargers to 80% to preserve battery health.

Note that the times shown are only a guide only. Other factors that might vary the actual charging time of your car. The estimates provided are for the Extended Range variants of the Polestar 2. For personalised estimates of the other variants use the zecar ev charging calculator.

How Much Does it Cost to Charge a Polestar 2?

The below tables show the estimated cost of charging the Polestar 2's 67 kWh battery at home using a standard flat tariff or a public fast DC charger.

Based on these figures, the Polestar 2’s fuel costs are $3.5-$8.4 per 100 km, depending on the type of charging. In general, home charging provides the cheapest per kilometre cost and public rapid charging tends to be around double the cost (per charge and per kilometre). This compares favourably to an equivalent petrol car which would cost $15 per 100km, assuming $2/litre for petrol.

Use the zecar EV charging calculator to find the cost and times to charge any EV using any charge method. The results can be personalised for different electricity costs and the level of charge required.

The Polestar 2 battery pack comprises the NMC chemistry. The recommended upper limit for daily use is 90%, this will minimise degradation and preserve the longevity of the battery. The charging limit can be set on the main infotainment screen.

Occasional charging of the battery to 100% to maximise the car's range for longer trips should not cause significant degradation of the battery.

Polestar 2 Charging at Home

Polestar 2 AC charging work

The Polestar 2 is compatible with almost all portable and wall-mounted chargers equipped with a type 2 plug. It comes with a portable charging cable, which can be used on any Australian domestic powerpoint

For faster charging speeds, you may want to consider a wall-mounted charger to reach the maximum 11 kW charge rate the Polestar 2 is capable of.

Home charging while taking longer, will likely result in less long term degradation of the battery.

Electric Car Home Charging Guide
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Polestar 2 Charging using Public DC charging stations

Polestar 2 fast charging

The Polestar 2 can be charged using all the major charging networks including some Tesla Superchargers and some select Tesla destination chargers.

Refer to this guide for all the key public charging providers including links to app downloads.

Excessive use of fast charging may accelerate the degradation of the battery due to the heat caused by fast charging.

Can a Polestar 2 Be Charged at Tesla Supercharger Stations?

Tesla Supercharger Station

Yes, Polestar 2's can charge at some Tesla Supercharger sites. As of the latest update to this article, Tesla has opened up 30 of its 63 Supercharger sites in Australia to non-Tesla EVs.

Non-Tesla vehicles will be charged $0.79 per kWh for drivers of non-Tesla cars However, non-Tesla drivers can sign up to a $9.99/month subscription to reduce the cost to $0.66 per kWh.

➡️TRY: EV Charging Calculator

Tesla supercharger sites can be accessed by non-Tesla EVs via the Tesla apps.

  • Download the Tesla app (version 4.18.0 or higher) for iOS or Android and create a Tesla Account.
  • Select ‘Charge Your Non-Tesla’ and find your Supercharger site.
  • Add your payment method, select a stall, unlock the adapter, plug in your car, and tap ‘Start Charging.’
  • Select ‘Stop Charging’ to complete your session.

Charging a Polestar 2 Bottom Line

The Polestar 2 is considered above average when it comes to charging speeds compared to other electric cars. It provides acceptable fast speeds using both AC chargers and DC fast chargers. Check out our fastest charging car list to see how the Polestar 2 ranks against its peers.

About the author

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Danny Thai

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Danny is a consultant and entrepreneur working at the cutting edge of the electric vehicle and energy transition. He is passionate about educating and helping consumers make better decisions through data. He is the founder of zecar and is currently the EV Innovation Manager at Endeavour Energy.

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