Polestar to double global presence by 2022

EV performance brand Polestar will expand from nine to 18 markets by the end of this year.

Retail locations are set to double, with up to 100 operational Polestar locations, including a new Destination concept, by year-end, with possibly some in Australia where the Polestar 2 is due to launch in November and in New Zealand.

Significant continued market growth is expected by Polestar in 2022, backed up by continued service point expansion.

The brand is adding to its Polestar Spaces retail approach, represented typically by city-centre locations, by introducing a new concept known as Polestar Destinations.

Both will allow customers to immerse themselves and take a test drive. Destinations, located at larger, easy-to-access out-of-town locations, will also perform handovers to customers who decide to purchase.

“We are expanding both within markets in which we already have a presence and into new markets extremely rapidly,” Polestar chief executive Thomas Ingenlath says.

“As a brand that has only been fully operational for just over 12 months, this sort of footprint is unprecedented.

“We aim to expand at a similar rate in terms of new markets in 2022 as well. This continued pace, combined with new retail concepts, will support our goal to exceed our owners’ expectations.”

Some temporary pop-up locations will be included.

“We focus on ensuring that customers can interact with the brand and our cars on their terms,” Polestar sales head Mike Whittington says.

“A refined online buying environment is backed-up by physical locations to help drive awareness and sales.

“Our new Destination concept gives customers even more access to the brand, and fits some of our newer markets particularly well.”

The Polestar digital sales model enables customers to explore, configure and purchase a car on their personal device whenever and wherever they choose.

There is no need to visit a Polestar Space, but the brand recognises how important the opportunity to take a closer look and test drive the car can be.

About 60 additional test drive locations will be in operation by the end of 2021 to provide further access to Polestar 2 vehicles, while customer handover centres are also expanding rapidly to support supply meeting demand alongside other formats such as home delivery.

After purchase, the physical connection to the brand continues into the service and maintenance phase.

There are more than 650 service points in Polestar markets with the aim to exceed 780 by the end of 2021.

The Polestar 3 is expected to follow the Polestar 2 shortly.