The 2 is poised to make its debut at the 2019 Geneva Motor Show in March, and is expected to share a lot in common with Volvo's 40.2 concept (pictured above). It wouldn't be as exotic-looking as the Polestar 1, but that's part of the point. Goodman rejected the idea that EVs had to be "quirky or futuristic" -- if they're eventually going to be mainstream, they have to look like (relatively) ordinary cars.

This doesn't necessarily put Tesla in immediate danger. It's expected to deliver its fabled $35,000 Model 3 variant within several months, and it has the luxury of both an enthusiastic fan base and hundreds of thousands of pre-orders. Nonetheless, it has good cause to be nervous. Polestar not only has competitive specs, but the luxury of support from a long-serving automotive brand. It doesn't have to worry as much about economies of scale or manufacturing challenges, and that could help it lure customers who want Model 3-like abilities without necessarily buying a Model 3.