Performance
can be defined multiple ways. A car that is predictable even at speeds in
excess of 200 km/h is performing admirably, even if that kind of performance
isn’t what traditionally blows one’s hair back. The Polestar 1 is designed and
engineered to excel in every area, from acceleration to aerodynamics and everything
in between.
Responsive,
sporty driving dynamics are as vital an area as any other. Polestar’s ambition
was to produce a high-performance car that is comfortable, responsive, sporty
and dynamic. How does Polestar deliver these unparalleled dynamics?
For a car
to be responsive and dynamic, suspension is paramount.
Like
everything else Polestar, it’s done down to the smallest detail. It begins with
insisting upon the best possible components and technology. For a car to be
responsive and dynamic, suspension is paramount. And the VIPs of suspension are
the dampers, which absorb vibrations created by the springs as they in turn
absorb shocks from the road. Polestar has paired with renowned suspension
manufacturer Öhlins to create dampers more responsive and modern than any
other. What Öhlins has provided is nothing short of revolutionary: DFV (dual
flow valve) dampers. In these dampers, the fluid (which is used to dissipate
absorbed heat energy from the kinetic energy of suspension) behaves in the same
way during extension and compression. What does this mean for the driver? In
everyday language, it means that the wheels find their position on the ground
much more quickly, leading to vastly improved grip and traction and a seamless
connection to the road, regardless of surface.
Öhlins was
the natural choice when it came to dampers. Their expertise and peerless
suspension technology is already the stuff of legend, being used by premium
performance vehicles of every stripe. Stefan Ytterborn, founder and CEO of electric
off-road motorbike brand CAKE, says “apart from components, frame, drivetrain,
kinematics and geometry, peak quality suspension is key. As with everything
else we have turned to where the competence is incomparable and the choice to
go with Öhlins for developing suspension was obvious.”
But having
the latest technology is only one side of the coin. It also needs to be
expertly calibrated in order to ensure optimal performance. This is where
Polestar’s development engineers, technicians, and mechanics step in, testing
the dampers and suspension not only on all the various road surfaces available
at the Hällered testing ground, but also surface roads. As they drive, they
make note of the adjustments that need to be done, and then it’s back to the
mechanic bay at Hällered. Once there, the on-site Öhlins technician, together
with the Polestar team, removes, adjusts, and reinstalls the dampers,
meticulously documenting the entire procedure. These adjustments can range from
a repositioning of the main or bleed valves, to a replacement of a washer half
a millimetre thinner than the previous one.
And these
tests don’t just take place in Sweden. These dampers have been tested on
surface roads in the UK, as well as German highways, to give the most thorough
and multifaceted testing experience possible. If dampers had passports, theirs
would be full of stamps.
Performance
can be defined multiple ways. Unparalleled driving dynamics are one way that
Polestar defines it.
CAKE -
Performance on Two Wheels
CAKE is a
Swedish electric off-road motorcycle brand on a mission. Taken from their
website, the mission is “to speed up the journey towards a zero-emission
society, combining excitement with responsibility.” Polestar feels a kinship
with CAKE, sharing both a belief in electric performance and a passion for
design, in addition to the idea that the future will be both electrified and
emission-free.
The
motorcycle industry is undergoing the same electrification sea change as the
automotive industry, and CAKE is ahead of the curve. Their bikes are beautiful
and high-tech, without a doubt. But they have a number of other features which
truly make them the tip of the spear when it comes to electric motorbikes.
Firstly,
they’re quiet. No combustion engine, no gears. The bike flits through the woods
as silently as the deer it surprises, and is the least-invasive way of
exploring the outdoors on two wheels.
Secondly,
they’re light. Far lighter than a combustion bike of comparable size. These are
stallions that anyone can tame.
Thirdly,
they’re clean. There are no noxious fumes from an electric drivetrain. No
fluids such as grease or gasoline either, meaning cleaner surroundings and a
cleaner bike.
CAKE urges
people to explore with respect, and are building the bikes with which to do
that.
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