Polestar 5 Caught Testing In Australia Before Global Debut

Polestar’s most ambitious model yet has been spotted testing on Australian roads ahead of its official global unveiling in September. The sleek Polestar 5, a high-performance electric sedan aimed squarely at rivals like the Porsche Taycan, is still some time away from local showrooms, but the company has already been putting it through one of the most comprehensive development programs ever undertaken by Polestar in Australia.

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A right-hand drive prototype of the Polestar 5 has been in the country for several months, with the testing phase now nearing completion. The vehicle has been seen in various parts of Australia, including Adelaide and the Red Centre, and more recently, parked in a quiet town northwest of Melbourne during a break in testing. Despite its discreet surroundings, it was hard to miss, thanks to clear “Testing Vehicle” and “Prototype Vehicle” labels on the body.

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Speaking at the Melbourne EV Show, Polestar Australia’s CEO Scott Maynard confirmed that this local development program has played a key role in fine-tuning the upcoming model. The car has undergone rigorous hot weather testing, advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) calibration, and chassis evaluation - all under real Australian conditions.

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This marks the first time Polestar has used Australian roads to refine ride and handling on a pre-production model, highlighting the importance the brand is placing on dynamic performance for the 5.

Built on a new bonded aluminium platform, the Polestar 5 is engineered for exceptional torsional stiffness, which the company claims delivers class-leading handling characteristics. Much of the development has taken place in the UK, with a team that includes former engineers from Lotus and McLaren. Brands with a long-standing reputation for driver-focused performance.

Performance figures for the Polestar 5 are equally bold. The top-spec dual-motor all-wheel drive version is expected to deliver 650kW of power and 900Nm of torque, while the rear-wheel drive variants will offer at least 350kW in standard form and up to 400kW and 700Nm in higher trims.

Originally revealed as the Precept concept back in 2020, the Polestar 5 has already appeared in camouflaged form at events like the Goodwood Festival of Speed in 2022 and 2023. It also introduces the brand’s next-generation battery technology with an 800-volt system that promises to add up to 160km of driving range in just five minutes of charging.

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Once it arrives, the Polestar 5 will take over from the Polestar 3 SUV as the flagship of the brand’s lineup, offering a new benchmark in both design and performance. While a firm local launch date hasn’t been set, the model is confirmed for release in the first half of 2026. For a brand still carving its identity in the performance EV space, the Polestar 5 could mark a major step forward.