Why Most EVs Feel Wrong to Drive | Joakim Rydholm on Steering, EVs & the Polestar 5

Опубликовано 26 июня 2026, 13:00

What makes a car truly fun to drive? In this episode of The Inevitable, Ed Loh and Jonny Lieberman sit down with Joakim Rydholm, Polestar's Head of Driving Dynamics, to explore the art and science of steering feel, chassis tuning, suspension development, and why software alone can't create a great driver's car. Rydholm also shares stories from his decades at Saab, Volvo, and Polestar, his experience as a rally driver, and how Polestar developed its unique driving DNA.

The conversation also dives into the future of EV performance, reactions to Ferrari's first electric car, the philosophy behind the upcoming 900-horsepower Polestar 5, benchmarking against Porsche and Honda, tire development, and why the smallest suspension changes can completely transform a car's personality. It's a fascinating look inside the mind of one of the industry's most respected chassis engineers.

0:00 - Welcome to The Inevitable
0:14 - Hyundai's massive Meta Plant tour
4:27 - Tesla's Fremont factory & Model S/X update
6:19 - Meet Polestar's Joakim Rydholm
8:41 - Ferrari's EV and the future of performance cars
14:13 - Why design matters for EV brands
16:40 - Joakim's journey: Saab, Volvo & Polestar
20:00 - Rolling resistance explained
23:23 - Building the Polestar driving DNA
30:13 - Favorite classic Volvos & dream cars
35:02 - Rally racing and engineering lessons
38:45 - The three pillars of Polestar handling
44:14 - Hardware vs. software in chassis tuning
47:46 - Steering feel, kickback & electric power steering
57:34 - Teaching the next generation of chassis engineers
1:05:39 - Polestar 5 preview & engineering philosophy
1:10:49 - First driving impressions of the Polestar 5
1:11:43 - Final thoughts & wrap-up

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