Yahoo Autos Polestar Will Have Showrooms, But You Can't Buy a Car There
Volvo's transformation of Polestar into a stand-alone electrified performance sub-brand is as much about creating a new retail business model as it is about creating a new line of cars. Polestar CEO Thomas Ingenlath (formerly Volvo's head of design) has revealed further details of how the company plans to peddle its wares. In lieu of traditional dealerships, it's planning Polestar Space locations, which will be owned by franchisees rather than the company (thus avoiding the legal wrangling Tesla has faced in some states).
At Polestar Spaces, customers can check out the cars and learn more from product information specialists-who do not work on commission, which should eliminate any sales pressure. When customers are ready to commit, they complete their transaction online. Polestar is offering a subscription model (with prices that include insurance and maintenance as well as the ability to borrow Volvo models); the vehicles also can be purchased outright. Buyers won't have to return to the Polestar Space for service, as Polestar will include pickup and delivery, scheduled via smartphone app, which also includes the ability to lock or unlock and start the car. (The wrenching will take place at select Volvo dealerships.)
The company plans to have its first Polestar Space up and running in New York City in late 2019 or early 2020. Nine more Spaces will follow, in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas or Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, San Francisco, Seattle, and Washington, D.C. Ultimately, the United States could end up with as many as 20 stores.
The Polestar 1 coupe kicks off the effort. This plug-in hybrid is based on the S90 T8 but uses a cut-down chassis, a radically smaller body, and a powertrain that adds a second electric motor and a much increased battery capacity of 34.0 kWh. Total powertrain output is 591 horsepower and 738 lb-ft of torque. The plug-in-hybrid system has a far greater EV range than most PHEVs, at a claimed 93 miles. Read more about the Polestar 1 here. It's priced at $155,000, but the monthly subscription cost has yet to be announced. The production run of 200 cars for the U.S. (out of 500 worldwide) is already sold out.
Next comes the Polestar 2, which is the brand's first EV. It's designed to compete against the Tesla Model 3 and will be priced around $50,000. Following that is another EV, this one a larger sport-utility vehicle.
Polestar also will continue in its historic role of creating performance-tuned versions of regular Volvos, such as the new S60. Those Polestar models will be sold exclusively at Volvo dealers, not at Polestar Spaces.
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