In their relatively short lifespan, Polestar have never shunned breaking with convention and,
in fact, have made standing out in an increasingly monotone EV market part of their identity. In February, Volvo announced that they would reduce their share in Polestar from 48.3% to 18%, which was followed two weeks later by news of a £750 million funding injection in the form of a three-year loan. As a result, this increased independence and freedom to carve out their own path in EV development has emboldened Polestar to spread their wings and depart from the stereotype that the two brands are different sides of the same coin.
This has been reflected in the design language and features of their current range of vehicles, with their earlier models mimicking their Volvo counterparts heavily, while the Polestar 3 SUV and Polestar 4 coupe are clearly more distinguishable from the sister brand. With the Polestar 4 having launched in the UK and many other global markets in early 2024, the Swedish firm have announced their next generation of EVs that will adhere to the chronological name order and follow their ethos of innovation in both technology and design.
The first of these new vehicles is the Polestar 5, which is earmarked for 2025 and will become Polestar’s new flagship model. As a four-door coupe, the Polestar 5 will do battle at the bleeding edge of the EV luxury market with the Tesla Model S and Porsche Taycan, and will be underpinned by a new aluminium architecture, which will be constructed in the UK. This new model will boast four-wheel drive electric powertrain capable of delivering 874 bhp and 900 Nm of torque. The abundance of power available to the 5 will be complemented by Polestar’s piece de resistance “extreme-fast charging” battery technology that is being developed with StoreDot and will add 100 miles in a mere 5 minutes of charging with a 350 kW charger without causing battery degradation or heat build-up.
However, Polestar have decided to pursue this increase in efficiency at the expense of headlining range figures, which will allegedly be limited to 310 miles. In terms of dimensions, the Polestar 5 will be a long vehicle similar in size to the Mercedes S class limousine, and will sacrifice a rear window for a sportier look and to extend the roofline as in the Polestar 4 without compromising rear headroom. This lack of a rear window will be compensated for with a series of cameras and mirrors. Other exterior features of the Polestar 5 include a panoramic glass roof; a “SmartZone”, which is a body-coloured panel that shelters the sensors and detectors for the autonomous systems; the iconic Thor’s hammer headlights that have become symbolic of the brand; and a lightbar stretching across the tailgate.
On the interior, it can be expected that the 5 will conform to the formula laid down by its predecessors, with a large central infotainment touchscreen providing control over an arsenal of novel technical features, a host of sustainable materials used in the upholstery and panels, and the most up-to-date Google infotainment system.
Aside from the Polestar 5, the firm also seeks to kill two birds with one stone with the new aluminium architecture, and use it to house the Polestar 6, which will be an open-roof electric roadster. In response to the excitement aroused by the convertible concept vehicle, Polestar have indicated that a production model will arrive in 2026. According to head of design Maximilian Missoni, the Polestar 6 will serve as an “everyday sports car for the electric age” and as a “daily driver but with high-performance”. Thus, with the 6, Polestar are aiming to plug a sector of the EV market that has grown in popularity as traditional petrolheads now look to electric vehicles to satisfy their need for speed. However, as is customary with Polestar, a focus on luxury and technological wizardry can also be expected. The Polestar 6 will be able to leap from 0 to 62 mph in an impressive 3.2 seconds and will be able to unleash the same amount of horsepower and torque as the Polestar 5 which shares its platform. Due to the shared powertrain and dual motor system, the 6 will also be capable of four-wheel drive.
However, it is the Polestar 7 that signifies the most fascinating and outlandish change in Polestar’s business strategy. This is because, at the end of the Polestar 2’s lifecycle, it will be retired and replaced by the 7 instead of being rejuvenated with a new generation. This flies in the face of common practice in the industry as it means that Polestar will not be able to exploit the success of the 2 to encourage further sales; they will be starting from ground zero with a completely new model that is not like-for-like with the Polestar 2. Considering that this electric crossover has sold 150,000 units, which currently far outstrips the brand’s other models, abandoning the recently updated vehicle in 2027 seems like a strange gamble to take.
Despite this, CEO Thomas Ingenlath has assured that this is necessary to incentivise further innovation and prevent the brand from becoming complacent with stagnation in both design and technology. Thus, by substituting the 2 with the 7, Polestar are constantly reforming their identity to remain interesting. Additionally, the Polestar 7 is anticipated to use a variation of the SEA architecture that underpins the Polestar 4 instead of the CMA platform used by the Polestar 2. Therefore, it can be expected that the Polestar 7 will improve upon the specifications of the Polestar 4 by the time of its release.
With these new models, Polestar will attempt to maintain the position that they have carved out for themselves in the luxury EV market, while continuing to occupy the pinnacle of sustainability and innovation. This is something that will be tested by the success of their project to develop a net zero vehicle by 2030. Nevertheless, recent declines in EV sales due to the cost-of-living crisis and the drying up of government-backed subsidies will present an unprecedented challenge for the firm, who will need to adapt their revised line-up in response to market trends to ensure their success.