Understanding Turtle Mode in the Polestar 2: A Complete Guide

For Volvo, the Polestar all-electric vehicle, designed and manufactured in Sweden, is not just a car. It’s everything about the “Excitement” and aura that automaking giant Volvo wants to radiate in all its models. But just how good is this brand, and how does it compare with EV giants such as Tesla, Kia, Hyundai, and BMW? Well, in June 2024, the Polestar 2 ranked in 18th position among the best-selling cars in Europe. This was a remarkable feat as renowned models like the BMW i4, Fiat 500e, Mercedes GLC PHEV, Hyundai Kona EV, and the Kia Niro were even lower in the rankings. 

Part of what makes the Polestar an incredible mention in the EVs debate is its extensive trims, from high-end sedans like the Polestar 2 to spacious SUVs like the Polestar 3 and Coupe SUVs like the Polestar 4 for those looking for a sporty look, high performance, all-electric SUV. The Polestar 2 is particularly impressive thanks to its numerous variations in engine motor/battery modules, such as the Long Range Single Motor, and dual motor, each guaranteeing a select set of features. Also worth mentioning is Polestar 2’s unique features, such as the turtle mode, among many others that separate Polestar cars from US-based competitors. In this guide, we’ll provide answers to the question Polestar 2 what does turtle mode do, while also diving deeper into highlighting the key features of this EV and what makes it a worthwhile consideration for those looking for a new car.

So, without much delay, let’s get you those details. But first, check out a brief history of the Polestar and the different available trims of the EV car line.

Brief History of the Polestar Brand

Polestar’s journey started in 1996 when Swedish Touring Car Championship (STCC) driver Jan "Flash" Nilsson founded Flash Engineering, a firm dedicated to creating race-purpose vehicles for Volvo. It continued as an independent entity from Volvo, operating as Flash Engineering until its rebranding from Flash Engineering to Polestar in 2005. The name ‘Polestar’ alludes to the car’s Scandinavian origin primarily in reference to the “North Star,” also referred to as the "pole star,"  which the Vikings used as a point of reference during their navigation. There is also a belief that the term insinuates the vehicle’s position in its racing roots as a model that always occupies the “pole” position.

Ten years later, Swedish automaking giant Volvo purchased the company and made it a standalone operator primarily focused on performance, innovative, and sustainable vehicles, mainly operating as electric cars.

The Polestar 2 was the company's first all-electric EV in 2019, although in the same year, they also released the Polestar 1, a premium performance hybrid model. The Polestar 3, a performance electric SUV with incredible interior space, entered the EV market in 2022, and lately, in 2023-2024, the company released its first SUV coupe, the Polestar 4. Today, Polestar is a Volvo subsidiary designated to manufacture high-performance luxury EVs for the parent company but operating as an independent entity

Polestar EV Trims

Polestar’s EV lineup is as expansive as it gets, with each model offering unique features that can make choosing the ideal car a real headache. 

Polestar 2 Performance, Range and Price

Let’s start with its popular EV sedan, the Polestar 2. It is a car made to give you an assertive feel while on the road, thanks to its incredible engineering that makes it perfectly responsive to whichever command you provide. First, it's noteworthy that the Polestar 2 comes in four variations that include: 

1. Long-range dual motor with performance pack - It's built for an extensive range, as per its name, with a power output of 476hp and 350kW, and it can deliver 740Nm of torque. With a full charge, you’re guaranteed to cover at least 568km (352 miles), and noteworthy is that it's a superfast vehicle with an acceleration time of 4.2s from zero to 100km/h.  It is definitely the most-priced Polestar 2 asset, starting from $83,782, but considering its range of features, it's definitely worth the valuation. 

2. Long-range Dual motor - It's not as powerful as the former Performance Pack variation but it's still a jack in its class with an output of 421hp provided by a 310kW power system. It matches the performance model in output torque capacity, and its 596-kilometer range is also quite outstanding while taking a measly 4.5 seconds to hit 100km/h from zero. For this beauty, you need to spend $74,802. 

3. Long-range Single motor - Note that the fundamental difference of this variant from the erstwhile ones is that it has a single motor and therefore, you expect a significant drop in the powertrain output and definitely in the pricing with this trim retailing from $69,802. It has a power system of 220kW, giving 299hp and a torque of 490Nm. But one thing you can’t fault this trim on is the range which is remarkably high at 659km, arguably the highest among all the Polestar 2 variants. It also takes relatively longer to hit a top speed of 100km/hr taking up to 6.2 seconds, but this is a thing you can compromise on, considering its incredible range. 

4. Standard range Single motor - We can regard this as the base trim, and it comes with a power output of 200kW/272 hp. Its torque output matches that of the Long Range Single Motor trim, although at 6.4s, it takes even longer to hit 100km/h from 0. Also noteworthy is that this is the model with the lowest range in the series at 554km (344.24 miles), which is just close to what you get with the Long Range Dual Motor variants, and this means this trim is not too bad for a base model costing around $65,802.

Polestar 3

If you fancy a Polestar full-size electric SUV, then there’s no better bet than the Polestar 3, a high-performance model with a characteristic low roofline and a sports car appeal that is matched by an aerodynamic design to improve its efficiency. This SUV is made to endure long drive hours thanks to its 111 kWh battery pack with a dual motor system that can give you either 360 kW (489 hp) and 840 Nm of torque for the regular model or 380 kW (517 hp) and 910 Nm for the Performance Pack variant. 

Also notable about the Polestar 3 is that this was the car that debuted Volvo's highly rated EV-only Scalable Product Architecture (SPA2) platform, a technology designed to produce e high-performance cars that are lightweight and safe. One of the significant upsides of owning this model is that the manufacturing architecture has allowed the use of dual-chamber adaptive air suspension that allows for car adjustment to fit the driver's comfort preferences. The feature also enables the car to adjust its suspension system when uninterrupted to suit the driving terrain once every 500 seconds and this is incredible because this model is built for the ultimate smooth ride anywhere. 

Its safety features are also worth mentioning and they include Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) for accurate mapping of the road and other deluxe properties like:

• An air purification system
• A Dolby Atmos sound system 
• Interior radar occupant detection system

Ample sitting space for up to five occupantsA spacious boot to hold up to 597 liters of luggage, which is expandable to 1,411 liters when you fold the rear seats. 

Polestar 4

Now, for those who thought there was no significant difference between the Polestar 4 and Polestar 3, there’s just a lot, especially in the design, that ensures each model is a unique vehicle. First, the Polestar 4 deviates from the SPA2 platform and instead employs the Sustainable Experience Architecture (SEA) platform, resulting in a unique shape resembling a Coupe SUV more than a typical SUV like the Polestar 3. 

Its battery is also slightly smaller but still substantive at 100 kWh, providing immense power depending on the trim variation you choose. For the Long Range Single motor, you get 200 kW (272 hp) and a torque output of 343 Nm, while the premium Long Range Dual Motor gives a higher powertrain of 400 kW (544 hp) and a 686 Nm torque. As for speed, the latter car (dual motor) is arguably the best of the Polestar line, requiring just 3.8 seconds to hit 100km/h. This comes with a stable drive that makes you barely feel like you’re speeding.

Also, its curvaceous exterior has been modified to ensure that it doesn’t occupy the valuable headspace that ensures tall passengers on the rear seats are comfortable. 

What‘s the Turtle mode in Polestar 2?

Now, on to the elephant in the room: What is Turtle mode in Polestar 2, and what unique features cum advantages does it offer to the driver? Turtle mode is an energy-saving property that engages when your Polestar 2 battery runs low. It ensures that the vehicle conserves the remaining power, thus enabling you to drive to the next charging station. This usually limits functionalities like speed and acceleration. 

Turtle mode displays an orange turtle icon on the screen to symbolize the significant reduction of your car’s power output. 

Some Common Causes of Turtle Mode in Polestar 2

As highlighted above, the primary cause of the turtle mode is a reduction in the battery power. However, if this appears more often than not, it could also imply that your car’s battery health is at risk, and you need to replace it with a new one. Other causes include:

• Overheating of the battery and electric motor can prompt activation of the mode, which is fundamentally aimed at lowering power usage in a bid to preserve the components' health.
  
• Also, turtle mode could be caused by an electrical mishap in the car’s system.
  However, not all Turtle mode prompts are power-related. Sometimes, a software glitch in the display system can cause it to switch on without any real cause, thus raising a false alarm.

How to Treat Turtle Mode Issues in Polestar 2?

First, it's imperative to check your battery's health status at all times to ensure that it is in top condition.

• Also, since the mode usually activates when the battery is low, the ideal solution is to recharge it as quickly as possible whenever the Turtle light indicator switches on. This would save you from the inconvenience of running out of power in the middle of the road.
• If you’re sure that you’ve got enough charge left, overheating could be the probable cause of the Turtle Light, so it would be best to slow down and allow the car to cool off.
• Finally, if none of the above measures are successful, then it might be time to engage a professional mechanic to check for electrical issues and software failures that could be causing the alarm.

Preventive Measures for Turtle Mode Alerts

Taking the following measures can help prevent the aforementioned issues that lead to Turtle Mode alerts.

• Always adhere to the scheduled car maintenance checks, as they will help identify electrical issues before they become significant problems. 
• Secondly, even though the Polestar 2 and its sister cars are built for speed and are adaptive to all conditions, it's important to avoid pushing them to the limits, especially under extreme weather, because this can lead to battery and electrical failures, thus triggering the Turtle Mode.
• Finally, the Polestar 2 battery is made to last for an extensive period before you can think of replacing it. So, it would be best to always take care of it by regularly checking its condition and fixing minute issues.

Conclusion

Driving a Polestar 2 Sedan is simply bliss, and this is a car that has all the variants that you need, given its various engine and battery specifications. And if you’re an electric SUV fan, there’s also the Polestar 3 and 4 to choose from, so basically, this automaker got you covered on all fronts. Most importantly, when driving your Polestar 2, it's important to identify the Turtle Mode, one of the most critical dashboard alerts that informs you when your battery is near depletion. At the same time, remember that this mode sometimes activates for other reasons, as covered in this guide, so it's important to be alert and fix these issues as they arise.