New World record: How far can this electric SUV really go?
An ordinary Polestar 3 has shattered the world record for the longest distance travelled by an electric SUV on a single charge.
The record-breaking drive took place on UK public roads under real-world conditions, including rain, and lasted 22 hours and 57 minutes to complete.
The journey was led by three drivers — Sam Clarke, Kevin Booker, and Richard Parker — all of whom have previous experience in endurance runs.
Polestar shatters EV distance record
A team in the UK has shattered the world record for the longest distance travelled by an EV on a single charge, James Chung reports.
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Polestar shatters EV distance record
world... more record for the longest distance travelled by an EV on a single charge, James Chung reports.
A team in the UK has shattered the... more ... more
Polestar 3 was used to break the world record for the longest distance travelled by an EV on a single charge. Picture: YouTube/Polestar.
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Clarke currently holds the world record for the longest journey completed on a single charge with an electric motorcycle, which was set earlier this year.
The team departed in the early hours of 2am to take advantage of clear morning roads, travelling mostly on flat roads throughout Norfolk in the UK.
They rotated drivers every three hours and drove a standard Polestar 3 equipped with 20-inch wheels and Michelin Sport 4 EV tyres.
By the end of the journey, the car recorded an average energy efficiency of 12.1 kWh/100 km, and according to InsideEVs, their average speed during the record run was 40.7 kilometres per hour.
Three drivers rotated throughout the challenge. Picture: YouTube/Polestar.
The Polestar 3 travelled 935km on a single charge. Picture: YouTube/Polestar.
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This record-setting journey demonstrates the rapid advancements in EV battery technology and efficiency. The Polestar 3 was fitted with a Long Range battery and a single rear motor and exceeded its WLTP range by approximately 221 kilometres.
The total distance travelled was an astonishing 935.4 km before needing to be recharged.
And while the WLTP range for the Polestar 3 is 704 km, the Polestar still had 20 per cent battery remaining when it reached that distance.
And even after the gauge hit 0 per cent, the SUV managed to travel an additional 12.8 kilometres before reaching a charger and coming to a stop.
The crew started the challenge at 2am in the morning. Picture: YouTube/Polestar.
The effort was overseen by Guinness World Records judge Paulina Sapinska, while the UK-based fleet management company Webfleet independently verified the video footage, odometer readings, GPS data, and battery percentage.
Matt Galvin, Managing Director of Polestar UK, says the record-breaking result is a testament to the improvements in electric vehicles over the years and their robust range capabilities.
'While Kevin, Sam and Richard pushed the Polestar 3 to the boundaries of its range capability, it goes to show how battery range has improved exponentially over the past few years,' he said.
'For a large luxury SUV to go way beyond a London-to-Edinburgh distance is truly impressive.'
Trip information. Picture: YouTube/Polestar.
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Reflecting on the achievement, Clarke said efficiency records are becoming harder to set.
'Since we first started setting records, we've noticed how much more driving it's taking to achieve them,' he said.
'I'm pleased to be setting the first electric SUV journey record, and doing it in such a capable EV like the Polestar 3 has been a real pleasure.'
In Australia, the Polestar 3 Long Range Single Motor is priced from $127,718.90 drive-away.
2025 Polestar 3 Long Range Single Motor electric car. Picture: Supplied
Originally published as Polestar 3 shatters new EV range record
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