Polestar will be a virtual brand in Australia
Chinese-Swedish EV-only car-maker to launch here next year – without showrooms or workshopsAll-electric auto brand Polestar is planning a direct-to-public online sales model supported by pop-up display centres in high-traffic areas when it launches in Australia next year, shunning any showroom connection to its sister brand Volvo.
It will use Volvo servicing facilities but customers will never have to visit a dealership, instead relying on a pick-up-and-delivery system similar to the one recently introduced by Lexus as part of its Encore program of owner benefits.
The two companies are both subsidiaries of cashed-up Chinese car-maker Geely, but Volvo Car Australia says that will not influence its future Down Under.
“They are completely separate,” the managing director of Volvo Car Australia, Nick Connor, said during a briefing on Volvo’s updated electrification plans for Australia.
They start with the recently launched Volvo XC40 T5 PHEV (plug-in hybrid vehicle), which will be followed by the all-electric Volvo XC40 EV in the second half of 2021.
Both electrified compact SUVs will be badged as Recharge models, as will all subsequent PHEV and EV models from Volvo in Australia.
“The Polestar plan is to sell directly, digitally, using Polestar spaces in what amounts to downtown locations. The cars will be serviced, maintained and supported by Volvo dealers,” said Connor.
“The cars will not be sold through Volvo dealers. Polestar will have their own [servicing] agreements with our dealers.
“Polestar talks to us and we talk to them, and we are helping to facilitate some things.”
Connor is well aware of the Polestar strategy as he was the company’s first CEO when it was spun-off from Volvo to become a standalone performance electric brand, but he remains cagey about the fledgling brand’s local plans.
“When I was CEO there it was a direct subsidiary of Volvo. Now it’s centrally managed between Volvo and Geely,” he said.
“The decision was made that Polestar would be premium EVs. They will be more performance oriented than the Volvo EVs.
“Their plan was to launch [in Australia] this year, but I don’t know exactly what their plans are now.”
Asked whether the Polestar brand, which was originally due to launch Down Under with the Polestar 2 this year, would arrive here next year, Connor said:
“That’s my understanding. They are keen to get here. My understanding is they are coming next year.”
Polestar’s first model, the Polestar 1, was not an EV but a limited-run plug-in hybrid coupe produced only in left-hand drive from 2019 and priced from around $250,000.
Its second model and first global vehicle, the Polestar 2, is a fastback-style mid-size sedan aimed at the Tesla Model 3 and priced around $100,000.
It was originally due to start production in China early this year and was planned for release in Australia by now, but has only just been released in China, Europe and the US, where it will also be available via subscription.
The Polestar 2 is fitted with an all-wheel drive electric powertrain producing a healthy 300kW/660Nm – enough for a claimed 0-100km/h acceleration time of less than five seconds – and can be had with a Performance Pack comprising Öhlins dampers, Brembo brakes and unique 20-inch forged wheels.
Our sources previously said the Polestar 2 would not arrive in Australia until six months after the XC40 EV, so early 2022 at the earliest.
Its third model – Polestar 3 – will be an SUV that was previously due to enter production in 2021, and is likely to become the brand’s top-seller in Australia.
Polestar’s fourth model is expected to be the Precept concept, a flagship four-door electric GT in the same vein as the Audi e-tron GT. It has been confirmed for production but is at least three years away from showrooms and likely to be even more expensive than the Polestar 1.
While Polestar pivots to its electric future, Connor confirmed that its performance roots are still reflected in combustion-powered Volvo cars still sold in Australia.
“It is a bit confusing. You’ve got Polestar software that can be downloaded to pretty much all of our cars. That’s performance, called Polestar optimisation,” he said.
“We also have the Polestar Engineered cars, the S60 and V60 and XC60. They stand out – they all have yellow seat belts.”
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