Polestar and the University of Oxford's SDG Impact Lab asked 12 drivers to lap the Gotland Ring in Sweden in two versions of the Polestar 4: a rear-motor model and a dual-motor Performance pack version. The drivers wore heart-rate monitors, electrode skullcaps, and used the car's gaze-tracking system while researchers logged vehicle telemetry and later interviewed them. Both Ars Technica and Electrek describe the same design: an attempt to line up what the car is doing with what is happening to the driver.
The results also match across both reports. On matched fast laps, the dual-motor car delivered 32% higher peak acceleration and required 15% less steering effort than the rear-motor version. Drivers scored the Performance pack car 89.2 versus 67.7 for performance and 93.0 versus 77.9 for overall experience. In interviews, drivers described a "controlled roller coaster," plus feelings of trust, control, and deep attention.
The caveats differ slightly. Both outlets note this is a 12-person feasibility pilot that needs a larger study. Ars Technica lists the dual-motor output as 536 hp while Electrek says 544 hp, though both cite 400 kW. They also frame the business context differently: Ars notes the Polestar 4 is no longer sold in the US, while Electrek says Polestar was barred from new US sales starting with the 2027 model year under the connected vehicle rule.
Even with those differences, the broader implication is the same: as EV acceleration becomes commoditized, automakers are looking for data on how performance feels. This study is an early, unusual attempt to connect engineering choices to human experience, but neither source claims it settles the question.