Whatshot
Polestar unveils its first car - the Polestar 1
Polestar unveils its first car - the Polestar 1
Polestar, Volvo Car Group's performance arm, has revealed its future as a new standalone electric performance brand. Polestar has confirmed the company's first three models, a new purpose-built production facility in China and a new, customer-focused route to market with all-inclusive subscription-based services that will set a new industry benchmark for performance car buyers.
The company's first car, Polestar 1, will start production in mid-2019. As an Electric Performance Hybrid, the car can travel up to 150 km on pure electric power alone - the longest full-electric range of any hybrid car on the market. In combination with its four-cylinder Volvo Drive-E engine, the Polestar 1 delivers 448 kW and 1000 Nm of torque, placing the car firmly within the performance car segment.
Polestar will act as a technology spearhead for the Volvo Car Group, bringing new technology and performance attributes to market. At the same time, Polestar will benefit from technological and engineering synergies within Volvo Cars and significant economies of scale as a result. These synergies will allow Polestar to accelerate the design, development and building of its electrified performance cars.
Plans for the introduction of the Polestar 1 in South Africa will be confirmed in due course, depending on the production of right-hand drive models and market demand.