Volvo has announced its Polestar performance arm is to become a separately-branded company focusing on high-performance electric vehicles.
At this stage, very little is known of the future product plans – further announcements are due in the autumn – although the company indicated its cars “will enjoy specific technological and engineering synergies with Volvo cars”, while the vehicles will not carry the Volvo badge.
At present, hot Volvos feature Polestar branding, akin to BMW M and Mercedes-Benz AMG vehicles. Polestar was acquired by the Swedish brand in 2015, the two having worked together in motorsport since 1996.
In order to manage the direction of the business, several appointments have been made, with Thomas Ingenlath moving from his current position of senior vice-president of design at Volvo to take up the role of chief executive officer.
Joining him will be Jonathan Goodman, who vacates his position as senior vice-president of corporate communications at Volvo to become chief operating officer.
“Thomas heading up the Polestar organisation shows our commitment to establishing a truly differentiated stand-alone brand within the Volvo Car Group,” said Hakan Samuelsson, president and chief executive of Volvo Cars. “Polestar will be a credible competitor in the emerging global market for high-performance electrified cars. With Polestar, we are able to offer electrified cars to the world’s most demanding, progressive drivers in all market segments.”
