Polestar 2

Make
Polestar
Segment
Sedan

When it comes to audio systems for cars, Harman Kardon is one of the best names in the business. The company has supplied sound systems to vehicles like the Alfa Romero Giulia Veloce Visconti Edition, the all-electric BMW iX, and the latest Kia Stinger. Now it's the Polestar 2's turn, with the Swedish automaker announcing that Harman Kardon has created "a new soundscape for the car", with warning, notification, and functional sounds carrying a "robotic, digital feel while remaining clean and clear." These sounds have been created fresh and are unique to the Polestar brand. The company hopes this will add to the premium feel of its electric sedan.

Polestar CEO Thomas Ingenlath explains what the two companies aimed to achieve with the new audio setup: "We wanted the sounds inside Polestar 2 to reflect our minimalist and digital nature. When you listen to the tone of the various notes, they sound clean and high-tech. Their clarity also enhances safety by alerting the driver with sharp, distinct sounds."

Whether that last bit is true or not remains to be seen, but the quality of Harman Kardon's sound systems is never in question, and with the Polestar 2 now receiving a 13-speaker setup with 600 watts of power, drowning out the sound of any errant tire noise will be a breeze.

This new audio system will be offered as part of the Plus Pack and features a ventilated subwoofer in the rear body cavity for high-quality bass while a second, air-powered subwoofer in front of the dashboard creates a truly surround-sound effect. The system has also offered the designers an opportunity to do things differently, so speakers are placed in areas that allow storage pockets to be as unencumbered as possible.

In addition, each front features a polished metal button inspired by high-end fashion and embossed with the Harman Kardon 60-degree motif, a design cue that is repeated on the dashtop speaker grille. Finally, the system has been developed with minimal noise intrusion, resulting in a cabin that is 3.7 decibels quieter than an equivalent combustion engine vehicle. A truly bespoke setup then, for a truly special EV.