Day 1: Stockholm to Rättvik
We started our journey from Stockholm with a comfortable 60% charge. Our first pit stop was at Hedemora’s McDonald’s—perfect timing for a charging session and a quick meal. The location has multiple HPC chargers, and since Recharge operates it, we were also eligible for the 30% discount via the Polestar Charge subscription. Yay!
Setting up the subscription in the Polestar Charge app took less than a minute. After the meal, we charged 60 kWh. After another session like that, the subscription will pay itself off.
The day ended at a friend’s country house in Rättvik. A word of caution: we accidentally overloaded their home charging setup, which was only meant for their plug-in hybrid. Oops! Still, we managed to charge for the next day’s journey.
Day 2: Rättvik to Åre
Left Rättvik with almost a full battery – a reassuring start considering the sparse charging infrastructure between Rättvik and Åre. Stopped at a Tesla Supercharger in Åsarna. We’d chosen our timing well and found an available spot. As we left, we noticed a growing queue. Clearly, we’d dodged the morning rush from Stockholm.
Arrived at our Åre cabin, where charging wasn’t available. Our Airbnb host promised to consider installing a charger for next year. This is a reminder to all EV drivers out there: keep requesting more chargers to show business owners that there’s demand for these services.
Days 3-5: Around Åre
The local Tesla Supercharger became our go-to spot. One visit coincided with picking up friends, another turned into an impromptu EV enthusiasts’ meetup during a 20-minute queue. Many other drivers had decided to top up their batteries the day before heading to Stockholm. However, this was our only real wait on this trip.
Also found a convenient AC charging option at Trillevallen while skiing. It wasn’t integrated with the Polestar charging app, but I’ve notified our partnership team about this opportunity.
Day 6: Return to Stockholm
The journey home began with a charging session at Åsarna’s Supercharger during lunch. Although our Polestar 3 had more than 50% left in its battery, taking advantage of the opportunity to charge allowed us to drive further before the next stop.
At Bollnäs we stopped at our go-to fast-food chain, Max hamburgers. They partner with Vattenfall InCharge, which is now also available through the Polestar Charge app.
Our final charging stop at Ionity in Gävle became a highlight as we tested the new Plug and Charge feature – a small glimpse into the future of seamless EV charging.
The 10-hour journey home (including stops) was remarkably comfortable. The windscreen display showing speed, limits, and navigation proved invaluable, keeping our focus on the road while maintaining peace of mind about our route and speed.
Key Takeaways
Car: The Polestar 3 is a great car for winter driving. Its 111 kWh battery gives enough range even in sub-zero temperatures, and you don’t need to drive super conservatively to the next charger.
Timing: Having a slightly different schedule than most other travelers helped us avoid queues.
Charging: Installing more AC chargers in places like Åre and Sälen would allow EV drivers to start their journey fully charged. This in turn should reduce the load on HPC chargers on the main roads on the peak traffic days around holidays.
Wildlife: Watch out for reindeer! Warn your fellow drivers by flashing the high beams.
