Polestar to develop only electric performance cars

In the wake of the highly anticipated reveal of the Polestar 1, Polestar boss Thomas Ingenlath spoke to our sister publication, Autocar UK, about future launches by Volvo's performance hybrid and EV brand.

According to Ingenlath, who is also Volvo’s design director, Polestar will become Volvo’s “technological spearhead” that will make only electric performance cars after the Polestar 1 hits the market. The company is already preparing for the launch of the Polestar 2 – a Skoda Octavia-like notchback that bears a very close relationship to Ingenlath’s Concept 40.2 – and the Polestar 3 SUV.

The Polestar 2 will use Volvo’s smaller CMA platform and will be all steel. It will go into production in late 2019, with the market launch scheduled for early 2020. Ingenlath won’t say where the car will be built but is keen to point out its suitability as a rival to the Tesla Model 3. The company is understood to still be deciding on details of its powertrain design – although two electric motors (one front, one rear) are suggested, which should give the notchback a practical driving range of about 322km. The Polestar 2 will be offered with both left- and right-hand drive.

The Polestar 3 will be a radically styled, low-roof SUV that will use the next generation of Volvo’s SPA big-car platform and have a mixed aluminium and steel body construction. The SUV is understood to be heading for a 2022 launch and is likely to be made at Polestar's Chengdu factory.

With all three models selling as anticipated, Polestar's volume could reach 80,000-90,000 cars annually (with the Polestar 1 accounting for 500 and the Polestar 2 for around 50,000). Ingenlath also stated that more models are being considered in areas that wouldn’t be mainstream enough for Volvo.

In addition to developing its rule-breaking new models, Polestar is working on a bespoke marketing setup aimed at increasing convenience for owners and moving beyond the traditionally customer-dealer relationship. Cars will be paid for by a monthly subscription which includes insurance and servicing. The vehicles will be picked up from customers’ homes or workplaces and delivered back after servicing.

Polestar commercial director Jon Goodman expects to choose about 80 Polestar 'spaces' around the world to sell its cars, with eight expected to be located in the UK.