© Polestar
Originally founded in 1996 under the name Flash Engineering, Polestar was acquired in 2015 by Volvo Cars. It was integrated by the latter as the brand's performance department, like AMG for Mercedes Benz. In 2017, Polestar became a brand in its own right and began manufacturing its own cars. In fact, it is not independent and belongs to Geely, a Chinese group that bought Volvo in 2010 and owns the Zeekr brand. After years of waiting, Polestar is preparing to deploy its arsenal in 2025 in France.
Launch strategy and market expansion
If this arrival took so long, it's because the Polestar logo looked a bit like too to that of Citroën, but the conflict was resolved in a rather mysterious way in 2022. To conquer the French market, Polestar will adopt a strategy: diversification. Its main competitor ? Tesla, of course !
It must be said that its sedan, the Polestar 2, was sufficiently equipped to stand up to a certain Tesla Model 3. However, the brand plans to introduce several new models in its range.
An SUV, the Polestar 3, and a crossover, the Polestar 4, will be released this year. They will be closely followed by a large sedan, the Polestar 5 as well as a new generation of Polestar 2. The late arrival of the brand in our region was not due exclusively to his conflict with Citroën. A source close to the matter spoke to Challenges: “ Polestar is a premium brand. It was not relevant to launch it with a single model, which is also aging. To generate interest, you need regular new products.”
Even if the brand is not specially recognized for the autonomy of its vehicles, it remains today, a very serious competitor to Tesla. The design of its vehicles is highly appreciated and its O2 concept won the “Design of the Year” award. in the 2023 edition of the Guide de l’auto. A nice distinction. On this specific aspect, Polestar takes things very seriously.
One of the brand's designers was even openly mocked of the current design of other major brands like Tesla or Mercedes. He declared to Whichcar? at the start of the 2023 school year: “ The roundness of vehicles makes them look more and more like potatoes or Jelly Beans, simply because it benefits aerodynamics. We want to do things differently ”. The brand has no shortage of assets to appeal to the French premium-loving public, and we wish it; but it should still not ignore autonomy in favor of design.
- Polestar is preparing its arrival in France from 2025.
- This delay is partly due to a conflict with Citroën, which considered that the Polestar's logo was a little too close to its own.
- The manufacturer plans the arrival of several models covering different segments to ensure its success.
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