• Polestar receives World Manufacturer Identifier (WMI) certification, cementing its position as a stand-alone vehicle Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM)
• State-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Chengdu opens; begins production of Polestar 1
• Inspirational manufacturing space created by internationally renowned architecture and design company, Snøhetta, truly reflects the Polestar brand with focus on sustainability and design
Polestar, the electric performance brand, today opens its first production facility, a key milestone for the rapidly growing car company. Polestar also announces its World Manufacturing Identifier certification, which officiates the brand as a standalone car company.
The new Polestar Production Centre in Chengdu, China, sets a new industry benchmark in electric vehicle manufacture and will produce the Polestar 1 – an exclusive, carbonfibre-bodied electric performance hybrid. The facility will produce vehicles for both China and global export markets, with first customer deliveries expected before the end of 2019.
The Polestar 1, which boasts 600hp and 1,000Nm of torque, becomes the most premium new-energy vehicle to be manufactured in China, the world’s largest EV market. The inauguration underlines China’s maturing industrialisation, a reputation for quality manufacturing, and, crucially, access to the right skills.
Premium craftsmanship and the integration of high-tech digital technology come together in producing the Polestar 1. The process is overseen by highly trained quality-control auditors whom, with a minimum of 10 years of experience, apply some of the strictest monitoring and assessment procedures in the industry.
Thomas Ingenlath, Chief Executive Officer of Polestar, comments: “Here in Chengdu, we are not only manufacturing a premium hybrid-electric performance car, we have also created an inspirational manufacturing environment, and a great place to work and visit. It truly reflects the Polestar brand.
“We promised we would have our first production facility built in 2019. We promised cars would be delivered to customers this year. And we promised we would do things differently. Once again, we are delivering on our promises. This is a hugely proud moment for the whole team at Polestar.”
The Polestar Production Centre aims to be one of the most environmentally responsible car factories in China. In keeping with these ambitions, and expected later in 2019, the facility was designed with the goal of achieving Gold status in the globally recognised Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) ratings. The LEED rating prescribes a holistic approach, which challenged the team to work exclusively with suppliers that subscribe to an environmentally responsible approach.
The facility’s location in Chengdu – the heart of China’s most technologically advanced, environment-friendly manufacturing base – is also integral to Polestar’s brand values of ‘pure, progressive, performance’. Pure in its focus on sustainability, progressive in both design and technology, and showcasing performance through its exacting and precise manufacturing processes.
Designed by internationally renowned architecture and design company, Snøhetta, the new Chengdu production facility incorporates a customer experience centre, including a test track and a glazed atrium offering a panoramic view over the factory floor.
“Designing Polestar’s first production facility has been a challenging and extremely rewarding project for us,” says Snøhetta’s co-founder, Kjetil Trædal Thorsen. “The innovative design of the interaction scheme aligns creative visionary processes with technical production requirements, setting a new standard for inclusive fabrication facilities.”
Five hundred Polestar 1 cars are planned to be built per year in the new Chengdu facility, with a total of 1,500 planned over a three-year production cycle. With early production slots already taken and continued strong demand, interested customers are advised to visit www.polestar.com to secure allocation.
Construction of Polestar 1 in Chengdu will be followed by production of Polestar 2 in Luqiao, China, in early 2020. Reservations for Polestar 2 can also be made at www.polestar.com.
For images and other media information, visit media.polestar.com.
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Andrew Lytheer, Public Relations and Communications
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About Polestar
Polestar is the electric performance car brand jointly owned by Volvo Car Group and Zhejiang Geely Holding. Polestar enjoys specific technological and engineering synergies with Volvo Cars and benefits from significant economies of scale as a result. This facilitates the successful design, development and production of separately branded electric performance cars.
Polestar launched in 2017 with the Polestar 1 – a low-volume electric performance hybrid GT with 600hp, 1,000Nm and an electric-only range of 150km – the longest of any hybrid car in the world. In 2019, the Polestar 2 was revealed as the company’s first full-electric, higher-volume premium car designed to compete around the Tesla Model 3. In the future, Polestar 3 will join the portfolio as a fully electric performance SUV.
Polestar also applies its technology and expertise to electrified Volvo cars. The new Volvo S60, V60 and XC60 T8 Polestar Engineered models feature key Polestar components to create a sharper and more engaging driving experience. Polestar optimisation software upgrades are also available for Volvo models, which enhance six performance areas, including engine output. Polestar Engineered media information can be found on the Volvo Cars media website.
