Polestar 2

Make
Polestar
Segment
Sedan

This right here could very well be one of the best EV deals on the market right now. Polestar just debuted the single-motor Polestar 2. And it costs $33,400 in some states, like New Jersey. That price will vary some, as different states offer different rebates and incentives for the purchasing of your first EV. The same thing happens when you go to buy a Tesla Model 3.

This is a serious undercut to Tesla's pricing. In New Jersey, Tesla's website states a base, RWD Model 3 starts at $42,690 with 267 miles of range. You guessed it. Not only is the Polestar 2 cheaper in our baseline New Jersey test state, but it also gets more range, with an EPA estimate of 270 miles. Unmolested, the new single-motor Polestar 2 comes out to $45,900.

To be fair to Tesla, that evens things out a little bit. Both brands are in tight competition for the entry-level luxury EV slot, and right now, it's a toss-up. But Polestar hopes a few things will sway consumers. Plus and Pilot option packages are available for the single-motor 2, and each offers some luxury niceties. The Plus pack ($4,000) has a range-extending heat pump, a full-length glass roof, Harmon-Kardon audio, and vegan leather interior trimmings.

The Pilot pack, if you hadn't inferred from the name, offers some driver assistance features like adaptive cruise and lane-keep assist, as well as Polestar's Pilot Assist semi-autonomous software. If this all sounds a bit familiar, that's because the Europeans got this first about a year ago.

It was only a matter of time until the single-motor 2 debuted here, and now it has. As of now, the ball is in Tesla's court. Does Musk go further upmarket? Or does he adjust the Model 3's pricing to match or beat Polestar? They say competition is healthy, and that's very true here. Other automakers will certainly take notice of Polestar's new move, Tesla most of all. Now we just have to wait and see if Polestar's new SUV can manage the same trick.