Polestar 2 Charging Cable
Quick recommendation
Polestar has changed almost everything about the Polestar 2 since 2020. The battery has been 64, 69, 78 and 82 kWh. The drive layout switched from front to rear in 2023. The trim names have moved around more than once. The one specification that has never changed is the onboard charger: 11 kW three phase on every UK Polestar 2, on every trim, in every model year. That is why the Polestar 2 charging cable question has one answer regardless of which car you own, and it is also why the 22 kW upgrade so many owners are offered was never relevant here.
Every Polestar 2 charges through a Type 2 to Type 2 Charging Cable. The inlet sits on the offside rear quarter, behind the driver's door, in the same place a fuel filler would be on a petrol car.
The lead to buy is the 32A single phase one. The 11 kW on the spec sheet is a three phase number, and wired to a normal British house the car takes 7.4 kW instead, which the 32A single phase cable supplies in full. Where the three phase cable does earn its money is a workplace or commercial site with a real three phase feed, where a 79 kWh Long Range drops from 12 hours to 8 hours. If you have no access to one, that cable is heavier, dearer and exactly as fast as the cheaper option.
The 16A cable belongs on smaller cars than this. On a 75 kWh Long Range it stretches a charge from 11 hours 30 minutes to 23 hours, and recovery falls from about 33 miles an hour to 17. The saving is thirteen pounds. The cost is eleven and a half hours becoming twenty three.
The 3-pin cable is emergency kit on a Polestar 2, not a charging plan. Our Type 2 to 3-Pin Charging Cable draws 2.3 kW from a 13 amp socket and returns about 10 miles an hour, so filling a Long Range pack would take a day and a half. What it does is turn any household socket into 80 miles overnight, which covers most journeys home from wherever you got caught out. See what a domestic socket actually achieves.
The larger SUV has its own page, the Polestar 3 charging cable, and the closest Volvo relative is covered on the Volvo XC40 charging cable page. Both brands share the same leads, listed in Polestar EV charging cables, and our IP ratings guide explains the sealing numbers quoted below.
Every lead is CE certified to IEC 62196 Type 2. Ratings are IP55 for Type 2 to Type 2 and IP67 for Type 2 to 3-Pin, the working range is -30C to +50C, or +60C for the 3-pin, and a 2 year manufacturer's warranty applies. UK orders qualify for same-day dispatch on working-day orders placed before 2pm.
Polestar 2 Charging Times by Battery
Long Range, 2024 onwards, 79 kWh usable, up to 406 miles WLTP
Maximum onboard AC charging speed: 11 kW, three phase
| Cable Type | Max Charge Rate | Empty to Full | Range Added Per Hour | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type 2 - 1-Phase, 16A (5m / 10m) | 3.7 kW | 24 hours 15 mins | approx. 19 miles | Too slow for this battery |
| Type 2 - 1-Phase, 32A (5m / 10m) | 7.4 kW | 12 hours | approx. 38 miles | Best Fit at home |
| Type 2 - 3-Phase, 32A (5m / 10m) | 11 kW (car limited) | 8 hours | approx. 57 miles | For 22kW posts and workplaces |
| Type 2 to 3-Pin (5m / 10m) | 2.3 kW | 38 hours 45 mins | approx. 12 miles | Ideal backup |
Long Range Single Motor, 2021 to 2023, 75 kWh usable, up to 335 miles WLTP
Maximum onboard AC charging speed: 11 kW, three phase
| Cable Type | Max Charge Rate | Empty to Full | Range Added Per Hour | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type 2 - 1-Phase, 16A (5m / 10m) | 3.7 kW | 23 hours | approx. 17 miles | Too slow for this battery |
| Type 2 - 1-Phase, 32A (5m / 10m) | 7.4 kW | 11 hours 30 mins | approx. 33 miles | Best Fit at home |
| Type 2 - 3-Phase, 32A (5m / 10m) | 11 kW (car limited) | 7 hours 45 mins | approx. 49 miles | For 22kW posts and workplaces |
| Type 2 to 3-Pin (5m / 10m) | 2.3 kW | 36 hours 45 mins | approx. 10 miles | Ideal backup |
Standard Range Single Motor, 2024 onwards, 66 kWh usable, up to 322 miles WLTP
Maximum onboard AC charging speed: 11 kW, three phase
| Cable Type | Max Charge Rate | Empty to Full | Range Added Per Hour | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type 2 - 1-Phase, 16A (5m / 10m) | 3.7 kW | 20 hours 15 mins | approx. 18 miles | Too slow for this battery |
| Type 2 - 1-Phase, 32A (5m / 10m) | 7.4 kW | 10 hours | approx. 36 miles | Best Fit at home |
| Type 2 - 3-Phase, 32A (5m / 10m) | 11 kW (car limited) | 6 hours 45 mins | approx. 54 miles | For 22kW posts and workplaces |
| Type 2 to 3-Pin (5m / 10m) | 2.3 kW | 32 hours 30 mins | approx. 11 miles | Ideal backup |
The original 64 kWh Standard Range of 2021 to 2023 holds 61 kWh usable and takes about 9 hours 15 minutes on the 32A cable. Real world figures fall away in the cold and at speed.
Polestar 2 Charging Cable FAQs
What is the best charging cable for a Polestar 2?
Every Polestar 2 sold in Britain wants the 32A single phase Type 2 to Type 2 Charging Cable. That has been true of every trim and every battery since launch, so the year of your car does not change the answer at all.
Did any UK Polestar 2 come with a 22kW charger?
No. Polestar has never offered a 22 kW onboard charger on a UK Polestar 2. Every car built for this market has the 11 kW three phase unit, so a 22 kW cable cannot make any Polestar 2 charge faster than 11 kW under any circumstances.
Would a three phase cable help a Polestar 2?
Only where a genuine three phase supply exists. At a workplace or industrial unit a Polestar 2 draws its full 11 kW and a 79 kWh Long Range comes down from 12 hours to 8 hours. On a domestic supply it delivers exactly the same 7.4 kW as the cheaper 32A single phase cable.
How long does a Polestar 2 take to charge at home?
About 12 hours from empty for a 79 kWh Long Range Polestar 2 on a 32A cable, 11 hours 30 minutes for the earlier 75 kWh car and 10 hours for the 66 kWh Standard Range. Very few owners start from empty, and a seven hour overnight window puts back around 250 miles on the Long Range.
What length of charging cable does a Polestar 2 need?
The socket is on the offside rear quarter and the car is 4.6 metres long, so 5m works when you reverse onto the drive with a wallbox mounted near the back of the space. Park nose in with the unit at the far end and the lead has to run the length of the car, which is 10m territory.
Can I use my Polestar 2 cable at public charge points?
Yes. Untethered Type 2 posts make up most of the UK public AC network and expect drivers to bring their own lead, so the same cable serves at home and away. Rapid DC charging uses the charger's own attached cable and needs nothing from you.