The Polestar 3 electric SUV will debut publicly in October, the automaker confirmed Thursday in a press release detailing its first-quarter 2022 sales.
Teased in December 2021, the Polestar 3 will likely go on sale in the U.S. as a 2023 model. It will be built at Polestar parent Volvo’s Charleston, South Carolina, factory, as well as at Polestar’s existing factory in China.
Polestar CEO Thomas Ingenlath has said the brand’s first SUV will be similar in size to the replacement for the Volvo XC90, which will also get an all-electric variant alongside hybrid powertrain options. Both will use Volvo’s new SPA2 platform, and the XC90 replacement will also be built in South Carolina.
Teaser for Polestar 3 due in 2022
The Polestar 3 will be differentiated from its Volvo sibling by a greater emphasis on performance. In a 2021 interview with Motor Authority, Polestar Americas boss Gregor Hembrough said Polestar’s target is Porsche.
The Polestar 3 is expected to take aim at the Porsche Cayenne, while following Polestar 4 and Polestar 5 models will target the Macan and Taycan, respectively, according to a 2021 presentation outlining the upcoming lineup. The Polestar name originated with an independent race team and tuning company that was later bought by Volvo, after all.
That strategy effectively makes the Polestar 3 the brand’s new flagship, temporarily creating a large gap with the current Polestar 2 until other models arrive. The Polestar 4 is expected to be a smaller SUV with a lower price point, while the Polestar 5 will be a sedan with styling inspired by 2020’s Polestar Precept concept, using the same SPA2 platform as the 3 and Volvo XC90 replacement. The 4 is expected to arrive in 2023, followed by the 5 in 2024.