All-new Polestar 3 SUV EV to be built in updated US Volvo facility

Volvo makes S60 cars in Ridgeville, South Carolina in the US and has since 2018 (see inauguration video after the jump). Recently, Volvo announced an additional $118 million investment in the site to produce electric vehicles both for itself and for partner Polestar. For those that don't know, Polestar is an EV maker that is jointly owned by Volvo and Geely. The first vehicle to be built for Polestar is the Polestar 3, a performance SUV, that is seen "under wraps" below. The plant will be the first site to build vehicles using a newly developed EV architecture that will underpin upcoming Volvos and probably Chinese-made Geelys as well. So good news for South Carolina car builders and all EV buyers. For more info and the video, click on "read more" below.

Source: Volvo/Polestar - Media releases (2), video - Select "read more" below.

Media Releases:
Volvo Cars Expands U.S. Electrified Vehicle Production in South Carolina with New $118 Million Investment

• Volvo Cars will produce the Polestar 3 battery electric vehicle at its South Carolina plant under contract for Polestar Cars
• Polestar 3, to be built on Volvo Car Group’s next generation electric architecture, is the third vehicle scheduled to be built at the plant
• $118 million expansion brings the total Volvo Cars investment in South Carolina to more than $1.2 billion

 

RIDGEVILLE, SC - Volvo Cars will invest an additional $118 million into its Ridgeville, South Carolina plant to build the Polestar 3 on the Volvo Car Group’s next generation electric architecture, under contract for its affiliate, Polestar Cars. Polestar is the Swedish electric performance brand launched by Volvo Cars and Geely Holding in 2017.

 

The Ridgeville plant currently produces the Volvo S60 luxury sedan for U.S. and export markets. The fully electric Polestar 3 will join the S60 and the next generation of electrified Volvo cars coming out of the same facility.

 

“Our South Carolina team has done a remarkable job producing the award-winning S60 and readying the plant for the next generation of electrified Volvo cars,” said Javier Varela, Senior Vice President Industrial Operations & Quality, Volvo Car Group. “Now, with the contract to produce the fully electric Polestar 3, we continue to expand our manufacturing operations for electrified vehicles.”

 

“We are proud to bring these new growth opportunities to Ridgeville and continue to grow our presence in the United States,” said Anders Gustafsson, Senior Vice President, Volvo Car Americas and President and CEO, Volvo Car USA.

 

The global transformation for Volvo Cars continues with today’s announcement, signifying a cumulative investment of over $1.2 billion into the South Carolina operation with room for future growth. In addition to its manufacturing footprint, Volvo Cars continues to invest heavily in technology and design and its Americas Region sales operation, including employee training and development.

 

About Volvo Car USA

Volvo Car USA LLC, (www.volvocars.com/us) is a subsidiary of Volvo Car Group of Gothenburg, Sweden. VCUSA provides marketing, sales, parts, service, technology and training support to Volvo automobile retailers in the United States. For more information please refer to the VCUSA media website at: http://www.media.volvocars.com/us.

 

Polestar 3 electric performance SUV to be manufactured in the USA

Polestar, the premium electric car brand from Sweden, announces today its first all-electric SUV will be manufactured in the United States.

The forthcoming Polestar 3, an aerodynamic electric performance SUV, will be manufactured alongside new Volvo vehicles at the Volvo Cars production center in Ridgeville, South Carolina. Polestar vehicles built in South Carolina will be for sale in the United States.

The move transforms Polestar into a truly global brand with an industrial capacity in the two largest single markets for electric vehicles in the world – the USA and China – alongside its headquarters and established sales and distribution capabilities in Europe.

“Polestar 3 will be built in America, for our American customers,” says Thomas Ingenlath, Polestar’s Chief Executive Officer. “I remember the great response when I first shared Polestar’s vision here in the USA and I am proud that our first SUV will be manufactured in South Carolina. From now on, the USA is no longer an export market but a home market.”

The manufacturing announcement also underlines Polestar’s commitment to the American retail market, which is undergoing a period of rapid expansion. Polestar will open around 25 retail ‘Spaces’ across the country in 2021. The Spaces offer customer conveniences such as home test drives, free pick-up and delivery servicing, and mobile service for consumers in markets still awaiting the opening of a Polestar Space.

Polestar was launched in 2017 by Volvo Cars and Geely Holding. The Ridgeville plant was opened in 2018 by Volvo Cars. Polestar’s ability to share a production facility with Volvo Cars highlights the significant industrial and financial synergies it generates as result of its ownership structure.

“Production in the USA reduces delivery times as well as the environmental impact associated with shipping vehicles around the world. It will even have a positive impact on the price of Polestar 3,” says Dennis Nobelius, Chief Operating Officer at Polestar. “All of this makes the brand even more competitive in the critical American sales market.”

Polestar 3 will debut the new generation of electric vehicle architecture from Volvo Car Group, which has been designed from scratch for full electrification. The aerodynamic electric performance SUV will feature industry-leading connectivity features based on Google’s native Android Automotive OS infotainment system, as well as high-end, safety-focused autonomous driving features. Production of Polestar 3 is expected to begin globally in 2022. Full product details will be made available at a later date.

The news of the expansion of Polestar’s manufacturing footprint follows the recent announcement that the company raised USD 550 million from a group of long-term external investors in April. The company has confirmed that it will explore potential future funding opportunities.

About Polestar

Polestar is the independent Swedish premium electric performance car brand founded by Volvo Cars and Geely Holding. Established in 2017, Polestar enjoys specific technological and engineering synergies with Volvo Cars and benefits from significant economies of scale as a result. The company is headquartered in Gothenburg, Sweden, and its vehicles are available and on the road in ten global markets across Europe, North America, and China. In 2021, Polestar is expanding into eight new markets across Europe and Asia Pacific.

Polestar produces two electric performance cars. Polestar 1 is a low-volume electric performance hybrid GT with a carbon fiber body, 619 hp, 738 lb-ft of torque, and an MPGe of 60 miles – the longest of any hybrid car in the world. The Polestar 2 electric performance fastback is the company’s first fully electric, high volume car. The Polestar 2 model range includes two variants featuring a 78 kWh battery paired with dual- and single motor powertrains. The Polestar 2 long range dual-motor has an output of 408 hp and 487 lb-ft of torque.

In the future, the Polestar 3 electric performance SUV will join the portfolio, as well as the Precept – a 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.