Polestar has released images of a new model, the Polestar 3, an electric SUV set to launch next year.
Some details revealed
Although the first teaser images released earlier this year showed the Polestar 3 under a cover, we were able to surmise that it was going to be some kind of crossover or SUV. The latest images, despite the car being still covered in camouflage, confirm this as well as providing a few more details as regards how it looks.
The overall shape is that of a well-proportioned mid-sized SUV featuring large alloy wheels which fill-out the arches. The headlights are clearly inspired by those seen on the Polestar's Precept concept (which itself previews the Polestar 5 model due in 2024).
Beyond that, however, concrete details are still scarce with little or no information on the Polestar 3's powertrain, though it may use a similar set-up to the Polestar 2 which features a 78kWh battery pack and a choice of single or twin electric motors.
The company's CEO, Thomas Ingenlath has said that the Polestar 3 will be "one of the most climate-responsible cars ever made" and that it will feature some autonomous motorway capability using an advanced LiDAR system coupled with a powerful NVIDIA computer chip.
Future plans
Polestar plans to launch a new model every year for the next three years with the Polestar 3 due next year, followed by a smaller crossover, the Polestar 4, in 2023 and the sleek Polestar 5 saloon in 2024. The company plans to expand to around 30 international markets by 2023.
While the Swedish company currently builds its cars in China, the Polestar 3 will be built in Volvo's South Carolina factory in the United States alongside the next generation of Volvo XC90 with which it will share some underpinnings. Volvo is one of Polestar's parent-companies alongside Volvo's own parent-company, the Chinese conglomerate Geely.
Growth prospects
Speaking at an investor event in the US, Ingenlath took aim at some US electric vehicle start-ups with a poor track record of over-promising and under-delivering, saying:
"We are not a virtual company waiting to build factories and sell cars; we are an actual company already building and selling cars around the world. Our two award-winning cars are on the road in 14 markets globally and we expect our global sales volume to reach around 29,000 vehicles this year."
The CEO was bullish when it came to talking about Polestar's growth prospects saying that the company planned to increase sales tenfold from its current 29,000 per year to 290,000 by 2025.
"From here on in, Polestar is all about growth," he said.