Polestar, the Swedish electric car manufacturer, has announced its plans to establish a new research and development facility at a factory in Trollhattan, Sweden. The facility, which will be based at a 15,000 square-feet building, was formerly operated by Saab and most recently by National Electric Vehicle Sweden (NEVS). Polestar intends to conduct powertrain development for its upcoming models, the Polestar 5 and 6, at the site, as well as testing powertrains, electric motors, and batteries.
While the move has sparked speculation about the possibility of a new production line, Polestar has confirmed that it will not be manufacturing vehicles at the site. Instead, the company will rely on its sister brands for production, with the Polestar 2 currently built at a Geely site in China, and the Polestar 3 set to be built in Chengdu, China and in South Carolina. The recently-unveiled Polestar 4, which has been generating a lot of buzz for its unique design, will also be produced at Geely’s Hangzhou Bay site in China.
The decision to open the new R&D facility in Trollhattan comes just a month after NEVS closed its doors, and the move represents a significant expansion of Polestar’s operations in Sweden. The company already operates R&D sites in Gothenburg, Sweden, and Coventry, England.
The Polestar 4, which was unveiled last week, is particularly noteworthy for its innovative design. Blurring the lines between a sedan and an SUV, the vehicle is underpinned by Geely’s Sustainable Experience Architecture (SEA), and features a 2,999 mm (118 inch) wheelbase and a glass roof that extends behind the heads of rear occupants. While the Polestar 4 is sure to turn heads, it is the Polestar 5 and 6 that will be developed at the new facility in Trollhattan, marking an exciting new chapter in the company’s evolution.
