Polestar 2 crash test. Source: Polestar.comPolestar, an electric performance car brand owned by Volvo Car Group and Zhejiang Geely Holding, merges performance, sustainability and safety. The company is touting Polestar 2 as the first fully electric vehicle to be crash-tested and feature the new acoustic vehicle alert system (AVAS). It is also the first within the Volvo group to have the new front-inner-side airbags, among other safety features.

The AVAS is specifically designed to increase safety by alerting pedestrians and cyclists to the approaching vehicle in a way that sounds natural without being jarring. (Listen to a sample here.) “We deliberately did not want Polestar 2 to sound like a robot or symphonic spaceship,” said Polestar CEO Thomas Ingenlath. “We wanted very natural, subtle sounds that simply let pedestrians know the car is moving. At the same time, we wanted Polestar 2 to sound slightly unique and become identifiable as a Polestar, while remaining relatively simple.”

To accomplish this, sound engineers positioned the external speakers to ensure that the radiating sound complies with legal requirements and creates a comfortable experience for those both inside and outside of the vehicle.

Additional safety precautions include housing the battery in an aluminum case, known as the SPOC (severe partial offset crash) block within the floor structure of the compact modular architecture (CMA) platform. This protects the battery and keeps it intact if the vehicle is involved in a collision. If a crash occurs, the battery pack automatically disconnects from the vehicle, terminating any live connection. The package also cancels certain vibrational frequencies by acting as a damper, reducing noise, vibration and harshness (NVH).

The design protects the battery and passengers during partially offset frontal collisions as well by minimizing the intrusion of the wheel and other objects into the cabin. The front lower load path (FLLP) increases protection from direct front impacts, such as hitting a pole.

Polestar 2 includes all available safety features such as the latest advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) technology, known as Pilot Assist, as well as detection systems for other vehicles in front, behind and in the blind spots of the car, and pedestrians and cyclists ahead of the car.

Read more about the introduction of Polestar and Volvo Car Group's commitment to electric vehicles.