Polestar is going from being a simple in-house tinkerer of Volvo products to its own full-fledged automotive brand. With an emphasis on electrification, the Polestar brand’s first independent offering is a sleek and low-slung coupe that goes by the name of 1. Unlike Volvos, however, consumers won’t be able to purchase a Polestar 1. Instead, they’ll be able to subscribe to one. And thanks to strong initial demand for the Polestar 1, customers in the United States will be among the first in the world to have the opportunity to park the 600-hp coupe in their driveways.
Other countries selected as initial launch markets for the four-seat coupe include China, Germany, Sweden, Norway, and the Netherlands. For an undisclosed monthly sum, Polestar 1 drivers will be given full use of the plug-in hybrid sports car that promises nearly 100 miles of all-electric range by way of two electric motors at the coupe’s rear axle. A separate gasoline-fed engine supplies power to the front wheels. Fees for insurance, maintenance, and additional services are included in the subscription’s cost.
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Like Tesla, Polestar will bypass the common dealership model for individual factory-backed retail centers dubbed Polestar Spaces. The brand plans to set up two such spaces in the U.S. initially in the middle...