Volvo’s SC Polestar venture gears up for an absolutely electric fall debut

By David Wren drwent@postandcourier.com

The company that makes the sport-utility vehicle under the Polestar badge has set a fall date to start production at the Volvo Cars plant. 

October is the target.

Polestar CEO Thomas Ingenlath confirmed the debut timeline for the all-electric Polestar 3 during the brand’s earnings report on May 19.

“We believe our future growth will be further accelerated by our entry into the lucrative SUV market later this year, with the world premiere of the long-awaited Polestar 3 electric performance SUV in October,” Ingenlath said.

The electrified, high-performance vehicle will be built at plants operated by sister brand Volvo in South Carolina and in China for the Asian market.

The SUV is expected to “boost our strong growth trajectory to take us into our next phase,” Ingenlath said.

“Teaser images released of the Polestar 3 reveal that it will have a low, crossover-like design and perhaps look even more dynamic than the Polestar 2,” internet-based Carscoops said in a May 23 post. “One of the most striking aspects of the SUV will be the Thor’s Hammer headlights as well as the stylish front fascia. The 3 will also land with a set of dynamic-looking wheels and have a steeply raked shoulder line that flows up to a spoiler over the rear window.”

A report by Motor Authority said the Polestar 3 will be built on the same platform as the successor to the XC90 SUV, which will also begin production this fall at the Ridgeville plant. The Lowcountry site also builds Volvo’s S60 sedan.

The Polestar 3 is expected to compete for buyers with the Porsche Cayenne.

Polestar announced record sales for the first four months of 2022 as the automaker continues its expansion into new and existing markets. Vehicle sales more than doubled during the period to roughly 13,600, and orders more than tripled to nearly 23,000 compared to the same period in 2021. 

Polestar is jointly owned by Volvo and its Chinese parent company, Geely Holdings.

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