National servicing back-up will be a promising feature of the Swedish brand’s push here.

RECONFIRMATION this week from Polestar of intent to establish imminently in New Zealand, a plan originally announced back in March, has come with hint that the car leading the push might benefit from Government’s clean car rebate.

In addition to confirming it will kick off with the five-seater Polestar 2 fastback sedan in three versions later this year, starting with a base edition looking set to challenge the only Tesla eligible for the Government’s electric car incentive, the brand has also named a national manager and clarified that Auckland-based Giltrap Group, which holds rights to the distribution of the Volvo car brand from which Polestar originally spawned, will represent its interests here.

However, a different retail model is envisaged, which will maintain at sales level the clear air that already exists between the brands – though there is a tie-up with Volvo agencies that will enable nationwide servicing, as explained in the attached video. 

Polestar is owned by Volvo Cars and by extension its parent company Geely, of China, but operates as a separate entity. 

Whereas Volvo cars are sold by orthodox method, via authorised dealerships, it seems Polestar will adopt the same direct sales approach as employed by Tesla, with cars being purchased online but with brand representation complemented by physical retail locations known as Polestar Spaces and Polestar Destinations.  

A release from Polestar via Giltrap Group says these bespoke retail environments will allow consumers to interact physically with the brand, meeting with ‘Polestar specialists’ to explore the car in more detail, including test drives. 

The first Polestar Destination is planned to open to the public in Auckland, later in 2021, but the exact location has not been named.

The release names Bruce Fowler as the national brand manager. He has background with Jaguar and Land Rover, which are run under the auspices of Motorcorp, a holding that alongside European Motor Distributors represents 18 marques nationally for Giltrap Group.

Comment attributed to Fowler includes confidence that Polestar 2 will establish “as a market-leading, premium electric vehicle.”

The car is to be sold in three versions. The Standard range Single motor version will feature a 165kW/330Nm electric motor and a 69kWh battery pack. The Long-Range Single motor version increases battery capacity to 78kWh and includes a 170 kW/330Nm powertrain. The range-topping Long Range Dual motor variant has two electric motors and the 78kWh battery, with a total output of 300kW and 660Nm.

While pricing and specifications are being withheld for now, with these not releasing until online order books go live later this year, EV fans will doubtless be intrigued by Fowler’s comment that timing of the car’s availability  “couldn’t be better, with the recent introduction of the Government’s Clean Car Discount scheme.”

The Standard Range Plus edition of the Tesla Model 3 that the entry Polestar 2 might conceivably pitch against is the sole Tesla sold here to slip in under the $80,000 limit for the $8625 EV rebate, but also the brand’s volume seller.

A Giltrap Group spokesman has advised that Polestar has indicated “some Polestar 2 specifications could be eligible for the Clean Car rebate.”

In the future, the Polestar 3 electric performance SUV will join the portfolio, as well as the Precept – a luxury design study vehicle released in 2020 that is slated for future production. Precept showcases the brand’s future vision in terms of sustainability, digital technology and design.

Polestar 2 sits on the same underpinning as Volvo’s XC40 crossover, but is a larger car at almost 4.6 metres long, 1.9 metres wide and nearly 1.5 metres tall. 

Like its now defunct forebear, the Polestar 1, a plug-in hybrid, the 2 was first seen as a Volvo concept car. The Polestar name also has a Volvo background – it was once Volvo's racing skunkworks; brought to attention in this part of the world through the efforts of Scott McLaughlin. That link ended when it morphed into a standalone electric brand.

The model is at its most affluent and aggressive in a prime Performance Pack representation aligned with the Long Range Dual Motor; that variant sells for around $120,000 in European markets.  

It has Brembo brakes and Ohlins adjustable dampers – which have to be hand-adjusted. Cited range on the WLTP measure is 470km, top speed is 204kmh and it belies its 2123kg weight to achieve 0-100kmh in 4.7 seconds.

The interior is laid out in quality materials but the main attraction is a Tesla-like portrait touchscreen dominating the centre of the dash. This measures 11 inches across the diagonal and it is powered by a Google OS. The model has a digital instrument cluster, with graphics in Swedish Gold.

 Next year Polestar is expected to release the 3, which shares a brand-new platform with the next-generation Volvo XC90. This SPA2 underpinning is destined for several other large Volvos. The 3 is expected to deliver with a coupe-like roof, so will be a strict five-seater, whereas the XC90 has seven seats.

With Australia, Singapore, Hong Kong and South Korea also announced as new markets, the upmarket electric arm of Volvo will represent broadly across the Asia Pacific and will take its global footprint to 18 countries by the end of the year.

Polestar’s chief executive, Thomas Ingenlath, says New Zealand is a perfect place because of its high ambition in becoming carbon neutral and because so much of the national grid is fed by electricity generated by Green means.

“The supply of Green energy is a main prerequisite for our customers … they want to do something meaningful.”