The Polestar O2 concept is a stunning drop-top EV | FOS Future Lab

It follows in the footsteps of the outstanding Precept, due soon to go into production as the Polestar 5 flagship. It certainly takes the big four-door coupe’s styling language to the next level, with lighting largely carrying over. Being a two-door roadster, the O₂ obviously sports a very different glasshouse, with a swooping coupe window. Out back, subtle buttresses replace the coupe-saloon look of the 5. The O₂’s design is highly optimised aerodynamically, with ducts and channels controlling flow over the car.

Underneath the similarities with the 5 continue, with the O₂ using the much-talked-about Bonded AI unibody that’s being developed in the UK for the 5. The O₂ is 400mm shorter wheelbase wise than the big saloon, with the rigid chassis and controlled damping making for what Polestar calls a ‘lively’, ‘playful’ and ‘predictable’ driving experience.

Don’t let the sportier nature of the O₂ fool you though. Polestar is as conscientious as ever, with plenty of sustainable and recyclable materials in use. All the soft materials are derived from recycled polyester, all the aluminium in the car is labelled with its grade to make recycling it easier.

As this is a forward-looking concept car, what contemporary gimmick does it boast? Something to do with Bitcoin or NFTs? Perhaps TikTok comes pre-installed. Wrong on both counts. The O₂ comes with its own autonomous drone, taking what a dashcam would ordinarily do to the ultimate extreme. 

So is the O₂ going into production? Well, beyond core marques, the convertible and sportscar market is famously taboo for much of the car industry at the moment in terms of sales and profit potential. That said, with the Polestar 1 now out of production, the marque could do with a sportier, sexier flagship offering, even at low volumes. With a fleet of new production cars on the way, including a couple of SUVs and the new 5 four-door coupe, a production version of the O₂ won’t be a priority. The company isn’t ruling it out, though…

Welcome to FOS Future Lab where we report on the latest visions of future technology. We'll be boldly covering flying cars, hoverboards, jetpacks and spaceships with plenty of down to earth topics in between.