ELECTRIC FOOTPRINT: “I believe electric cars will be competitive with gasoline-fueled cars in two to three years,” says Nicholas Long of Polestar Princeton, Long Motor Company. “We look forward to seeing more electric cars on the road, and having our footprint there.” He is shown next to one of Polestar’s new electric models, the Polestar 2.

By Jean Stratton

It is actually not a new idea, but one that has lingered on the fringes of the automotive world for more than a century.

Developed in the mid-1800s, the electric car was a definite factor in the initial development of the automobile. It was an important focus in the early 20th century, only falling out of favor in the 1920s, when the internal combustion engine (ICE) took over.

Now, however, it is surely an idea whose time has come. The electric vehicle (EV) is moving to the forefront on the highways — and quickly.

With the promise of less pollution and price savings, sales are up all over the country, and charging stations are appearing at numerous locations.

Into The Future

Electric cars are powered by a battery pack (electric motor), which needs recharging after a certain mileage has been reached. The cars can be charged (plugged in) at home in the garage, and then at public charging stations on the road. As more electric vehicles come into use, expanded numbers of charging stations will become part of the infrastructure.

Volvo Cars Princeton, Long Motor Company, the longtime area Volvo dealership, is moving full-speed onto this new electric ride. It is a clear step into the future, following the business model the company has adopted from its beginning.

Volvo Cars Princeton first opened its doors at 255 Nassau Street in the spring of 1982. At that time, the Long brothers — David, Matthew, and Lawrence — were in charge of the day-to-day operations. Today, the company is managed at its current location, 2931 Route 1 South in Lawrenceville, by David’s sons — David Jr., Jeffrey, Christopher, and Nicholas.

Over the decades, Volvo Cars Princeton has served the community with the philosophy of always putting customers first, says Christopher Long. “This commitment to the customer has been the keystone to our success. Our customer loyalty and referral business is outstanding.”

Many Awards

Indeed, during its history, the company has won many awards for sales and service, and has always emphasized giving back to the community. This is a key part of the Long family’s philosophy.

Last May, the company added an all-new automotive franchise, Polestar, to its business. Owned by Volvo, Polestar currently offers an electric vehicle sedan, called the Polestar 2 fastback, and has plans to produce the Polestar 3, an SUV, in the U.S. in the near future.

As they move forward into the world of electric cars, the Longs are enthusiastic about this new adventure, points out Nicholas Long. ”The electric vehicle has become extremely competitive with fossil-fueled vehicles. The EVs are quick, responsive, fun to drive, and offer great range (233 miles) on a full charge.”

“What is nice is that the Polestar 2 delivers a sporty and luxurious driving experience,” adds David Long Jr. “The vehicle rides firm to the road without a lot of feedback when you drive over bumps, and the fit and finish inside and out is excellent.

“The vehicle comes well-equipped with a fantastic stereo system and a plethora of safety features, such as lane-keeping aide, pedestrian detection, blind spot indicators, and cross traffic alert, to name a few,” he continues. “It also offers industry leading technology such as Android Auto and Google Assist interface. In addition, the Polestar is fully recyclable, and most of the interior fabrics are made of recycled materials.”

No Sales Tax

“Another great advantage of driving an EV is that the annual cost of ownership is greatly reduced as compared to an internal combustion engine vehicle,” reports Jeffrey Long.

“Annual maintenance and operation costs are significantly reduced for a few key reasons. First, an EV vehicle requires roughly 20 moving parts as opposed to around 2000 for an ICE vehicle. The second and obvious advantage is that the Polestar requires no visits to the gas station. And finally, there are attractive incentives with an EV purchase, which are available from the manufacturer, the state of New Jersey (no N.J. sales tax), and the federal government.

“The driver can add an app to their smart phone which shows locations of charging stations,” he continues, “and this greatly reduces a customer’s ‘range anxiety.’ There are also Google devices in the car with which you can search for information about nearby charging stations. With a charging station providing an alternating current (AC) option, customers can take their Polestar from a low charge percentage to fully charged in about two and a half hours. With a direct current (DC) service, the Polestar can get to 90 percent charged in about 50 minutes.”

“Also, the cost to ‘fill ’er up’ is approximately $4,” points out Nicholas Long, “and that’s a huge savings versus the cost of gasoline or diesel these days. In addition, all of our customers are installing charging stations at their home, and we are seeing charging stations popping up at malls, condominium complexes, service plazas, and stations. It is really exciting to watch this infrastructure explode right in front of our faces. EVs are quite frankly everywhere, especially right here in the greater Princeton area.”

An all new Long Motor Company Polestar location will soon open in the area, he reports, and in the meantime, customers may see and explore a Polestar EV at the Volvo Cars Princeton location on Route 1.

Amazing Feature

In addition, notes Christopher Long, the website is another option. “The process for an interested party to become acquainted with the Polestar 2 has been made very convenient by visiting the polestar.com website. Here, people can find all vehicle build and financing options. It really is a seamless process. The customer can customize the Polestar’s color choices, factory options, schedule a test drive, ask questions, etc. It really is technology at its best. The customers seem to love this approach to shopping.”

Certainly, all the technology surrounding the Polestar is an amazing feature, enabling the driver to navigate a journey with ease.

With its long history and its focus on a family business, Volvo Cars Princeton, Long Motor Company is eager to enter this new moment in the  automotive era.

“No question, this is an exciting moment with the launch of our electric cars,” emphasizes Nicholas Long. “I love the chance to work here with my brothers as we open this new chapter in our company. I am proud that we are continuing the Long Motor Company’s family business tradition.   

“For the benefit of the environment, which we all share, we look forward to seeing more electric cars on the road. We are excited to be a big part of this transition to electrification.”

Hours are Monday through Saturday 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. For further information, and to start your Polestar journey, call (609) 450-3200. Website: polestar.com.