Polestar, Geely’s premium electric car brand, said today its first all-electric SUV would be manufactured in the United States for sale in that market.
The upcoming Polestar 3, described as “an aerodynamic electric performance SUV”, will be manufactured at Volvo Cars’ factory in Ridgeville, South Carolina.
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The move, the automaker said, “transforms Polestar into a truly global brand with an industrial capacity in the two largest single markets for electric vehicles in the world – the US and China – alongside its headquarters and established sales and distribution capabilities in Europe”.
“Polestar 3 will be built in America, for our American customers,” said CEO Thomas Ingenlath. “I am proud our first SUV will be manufactured in South Carolina. From now on, the US is no longer an export market but a home market.”
The 3 will also be built at Polestar’s main plant in Chengdu, China.
Polestar will open around 25 retail ‘Spaces’ across the US in 2021. These will home test drives, free pick-up and delivery servicing, and mobile service for consumers in markets still awaiting the opening of a local Space.
Polestar was launched in 2017 by Volvo Cars and Geely Holding. The Ridgeville plant was opened in 2018 by Volvo Cars. It currently makes the S60 sedan and is scheduled to add the XC90 in the fourth quarter of this year, the XC90 Recharge a year later and the XC100, a J-segment full size SUV, in the third quarter of 2023.
“Polestar’s ability to share a production facility with Volvo Cars highlights the significant industrial and financial synergies it generates as result of its ownership structure,” the automaker said.
“Production in the US reduces delivery times as well as the environmental impact associated with shipping vehicles around the world. It will even have a positive impact on the price,” said COO Dennis Nobelius. “All of this makes the brand even more competitive in the critical American sales market.”
Polestar 3 will be built on Volvo Car Group’s new generation electric vehicle architecture designed from scratch for full electrification. The SUV will feature connectivity features based on Google’s native Android Automotive OS infotainment system, as well as high-end, safety-focused autonomous driving features.
Production begins in China and the US in 2022.
