Polestar is designed to become one of the leading electric car brands in the world by the end of 2025. Ambitious plans aim to significantly increase annual sales worldwide by that time. , up to 290,000 vehicles per year. It sold 29,000 in 2021.
To that end, Polestar has come up with an aggressive launch schedule of three all-new models over the next three years. It’s the only vehicle it will sell from now on, with the PHEV Polestar 1 near the end of its lifespan. The company isn’t afraid to base its vision on things like Porsche, incidentally, hit an all-time global sales record in 2019 when it sold 280,800 units.
As if that wasn’t challenging enough, Polestar plans to achieve this goal while developing its own electric motor. Polestar rep spoke to the in-house design Automatic log, will not be shared with Volvo or any of its other cousins in Geely group. Polestar’s parent company, headquartered in China, which has at least a dozen brands, including Lotus, Lynk & Co., the aforementioned Volvo, the manufacturing company London taxis and many others that you may have never heard of.
Essentially, Polestar is pursuing a Tesla-like trajectory. Tesla started production of its first car, the Lotus-based Roadster, in 2009. It took nearly a decade, until 2018, to sell a quarter million with multiple iterations along the way. It seemed like it would fail like so many others were forgotten. tech and automotive startups. Polestar didn’t begin production of the first car that wasn’t a modified Volvo until the 2017 Polestar 1 (above). If it hits the target, it will surpass even Tesla’s stratospheric gains.
The next new model to launch will be the Polestar 3 (pictured below), which can carry five passengers intersection that has Porsche Cayenne in its sights. Except, it will be a the battery electric with a range of more than 370 miles. It will hit the market by the end of 2022. It will be followed by the Polestar 4, a smaller crossover explicitly targeted at Macan. It will also have a range of more than 370 miles and should arrive by the end of 2023. Crossovers are in their place, so it’s no surprise that Polestar joins that group.
If all goes to plan, the Polestar 5 should arrive by the end of 2024. It’s a full-size GT fastback sedan that’s expected to take on – you guessed it – Porsche Panamera and Taycan. It also targets more than 370 miles, and will be an off-road version of the Limit concept.
Porsche comparisons are not ours. They are Polestar’s, clearly outlined in a business plan it shared with us. The company says it is “pursuing Porsche in the areas of performance, design and innovation.”
So instead of using a ready-made solution made by Bosch or some other supplier, Polestar is developing its own engine. Polestar has outlined some preliminary specs of the P10, as the name suggests. Estimated power of 603 hp (450 kW) will outpace the base Taycan and Tesla Model WILL, and will be routed down through a two-speed dual-clutch transmission.
The reason for developing it in-house and making it a brand-exclusive is so Polestar can tailor it to the requirements of its cars. A Volvo, it supposed, would never need 600 horsepower. The engine is designed to be easily integrated into a wide range of vehicles, in either single or dual configurations.
The juice supply will be a battery system that can switch between 400 and 800 volts to accommodate the charging infrastructure. It will also work bidirectionally, able to pump power back into the grid if needed. With 103 kWh charging, it can reach 80% capacity in about 20 minutes. Unlike the engine, the battery will be shared with Lotus and Volvo cars. Everything will be contained within a lightweight aluminum spaceframe architecture designed by ex-Formula first Polestar said.
Despite its high accessibility, Polestar’s plan has an edge over Tesla’s. Elon Musk had to start all over again, but Polestar was able to tap into the production capacity of Volvo and Geely. It can cut costs using their procurement, logistics and supply chain networks, even payroll and HR.
If the jumble of brands in the Geely group confuses you, the VW Group can be compared. It’s not a direct one on one, but there you have everything from Skoda to Bugatti. Polestar wants to be the family Porsche.
Polestar is currently in the process of adding markets such as Korea, Australiaand Eastern Europe. When it reaches its goal of nearly 300,000 cars by 2025, they expect their market share to be around 40% Europe, 30% Asia and 30% North America. Can it grow tenfold in four years’ time? In this day and age, nothing is certain, but Polestar will do its best.
