Volvo’s Polestar starts Chinese production

High-performance electrified brand Polestar has begun production of both hybrid and electric cars from its new global plant in China.

The Tesla-challenging start-up has opened the doors to its Chengdu factory for the Chinese and world markets, starting with the left-hand drive Polestar 1 hybrid coupe.

Jointly owned by Polestar’s parent, Volvo, and Volvo’s own parent company, Zhejiang Geely Holdings Group (Geely), the factory will build 500 Polestar 1s a year, with a planned run of three years, and potential customers will begin to receive cars late this year.

Well, most potential customers. Right-hand drive countries like Australia and South Africa and even the UK won’t receive the car at all, and will have to wait until late next year for the pure electric Polestar 2.

The high-performance Polestar 1 has a carbon-fibre body to pull its weight down, a pair of electric motors, a large battery pack and a supercharged and turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine.

While it’s 0-100km/h figure hasn’t been confirmed, the Polestar 1 is claimed to have 450kW of power and 1000Nm of torque and is expected to reach 100km/h in four seconds on its way to a 300km/h top speed.

On the economy side of the game, the Polestar 1 has a 150km/h zero-emission electric range and its European pricing starts from €155,000.

There are more ambitious plans for the mid-size Polestar 2 sedan, though, which is expected to outsell the Polestar 1’s global sales in Australia alone.

Due late next year, the dual-motor high-rise Polestar 2 will also be built in China, with Volvo and Polestar already aiming at up to 1800 sales in its first year alone – and even that, exclusively internet orders.

Previously, three Polestar spaces were expected within central Volvo dealerships in Sydney, Melbourne and perhaps even Brisbane, each selling more than 500 cars a year.

A direct rival for the Tesla Model 3, the Polestar 2 will arrive at nearly $A100,000, and a cheaper variant will follow before the Polestar 3 SUV shows up in around 2022.

The Polestar 2 will sit atop the Compact Modular Architecture (CMA) that sits beneath the XC40 Volvo and the Lynk&Co 01. It will have an electric motor on each axle and a 78kWh lithium-ion battery beneath the floor, acting as a structural member.

Polestar claims it will deliver 300kW and 660Nm of torque, hitting 100km/h in under five seconds, while delivering a 501km WLTP-cycle range.