Polestar Precept showcases a greener EV, expands on the Google-based control system

Polestar is using its new Precept concept to explore two areas. The first is about make the whole car greener - not just the drivetrain - as well as expanding on the integration and control that comes from the Google system it runs.

Polestar is keen to point out that this isn't just a concept car, but it's a real prequel to the launch of future Polestar vehicles. "The car is a response to the clear challenges our society and industry face. This is not a dream of a distant future, Polestar Precept previews future vehicles and shows how we will apply innovation to minimise our environmental impact," said Thomas Ingenlath, CEO of Polestar.

One of the areas getting the attention is the interior of this four-door grand coupé. Polestar has used flax-based composites, saying that there's an 80 per cent reduction in plastic use and a 50 per cent reduction in weight in the interior panels.

The green story continues, with the seat fabrics made from recycled plastic bottles and the carpets manufactured from reclaimed fishing nets.

There's plenty of tech loaded into this car too, from the nose of the car, where Polestar isn't talking about a "grille" but talking about a "SmartZone" instead, saying that this part of the car transforms from breathing to seeing - a common twist that's applied to electric cars.

Behind it sits the car's radar, while the lidar pod sits on the roof, a nod to future autonomous driving skills. The wing mirrors give way to cameras - something that's already a reality on the Audi e-tron and Honda e - while the rear of the car sees a light blade spanning the back.

Turn to the interior and you have a portrait-orientated 15-inch display in the centre of the car, while the driver gets a 12-inch display. This is where Polestar's collaboration with Google swings in, as Google is powering the whole of the experience, not just sitting as an optional layer on the top of an existing platform. 

What's interesting is that Polestar wanted to take this further than using Google Maps and Google Assistant natively, into deeper customisation, so that everything is linked to an individual to be completely personalised.

There's talk of enabling video content when the car is parked or charging - something that Tesla recently introduced.

But the interesting vision of the future is a closer integration of driver and machine. Using sensors, the car will be able to sense when the displays are distracting you. They will be able to dim when not in use and then using eye detection can illuminate when you look at them.

It's an exciting look at a future EV, but what we're really waiting for, however, is for the Polestar 2 to get itself on the road and into the hands of customers - which is expected some time in 2020.

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