The Swedish electric performance brand Polestar made several significant announcements on Thursday, confirming that its upcoming model, the Polestar 5 sedan, is set for launch in 2025 and that the previously revealed Polestar 7 model will be a compact SUV.
No timeline has been provided for the Polestar 7; however, former CEO Thomas Ingenlath informed Autocar last April that the 7 is expected to debut around 2027, at which point it will replace the current 2 hatchback as the brand’s entry-level offering.
The 5, aimed at competing with vehicles such as the Porsche Taycan and premium variants of the Tesla Model S, is at an advanced stage of development. Its design was initially showcased in 2020 with the Polestar’s Precept concept car, and camouflaged prototypes indicate that the production model will closely follow the design of the original concept.
The 5 will feature a platform developed internally at Polestar. In terms of performance, Polestar has indicated it is aiming for up to 884 hp from a dual-motor all-wheel-drive powertrain, with such power likely reserved for a top-tier variant.
Polestar 5 prototype ride
Details regarding the 7 remain sparse, apart from its classification as a small SUV manufactured in Europe. This location will allow it to bypass the substantial tariffs that currently apply to Polestar’s Chinese-manufactured vehicles, which represent the majority of the company’s production. Additionally, Polestar produces the 3 midsize SUV in the U.S. and the 4 compact crossover in South Korea.
The new model is expected to employ the SEA dedicated EV platform from Polestar’s parent company, Geely. This platform is the foundation for the 4 as well as the Volvo EX30 subcompact crossover. It also features in vehicles from Geely’s Zeekr brand, with the EX30 achieving 0-60 mph times as low as 3.4 seconds, aligning well with Polestar’s performance ethos.
The EX30 is currently produced solely in China, but Volvo is getting its Belgian plant ready for production, which may also serve as the site for the 7’s assembly if it is associated with the EX30.
2025 Volvo EX30
The design of the 7 will be one of the initial projects by Philipp Römers, a former Audi designer who took over as Polestar’s design chief last August after Maximilian Missoni’s departure to BMW. Römers expressed that the 7 will embody all the expectations Polestar customers have regarding “design and performance.”
Before the introduction of the 7, Polestar is poised to unveil the 6 sports car. The 6 was previewed by the O2 concept car in 2022, with an expected launch in 2026. This model is predicted to share a platform with the 5 and deliver a similar output of up to 884 hp.
Polestar revealed that the launch of new models, coupled with a significant increase in retail locations, will facilitate its goal of achieving a sales growth target of 30-35% from 2025 to 2027, along with generating positive free cash flow after further investments post-2027. In North America, the company plans to expand its store count from 36 to 57.
The automaker also expects to enhance revenue by selling carbon credits in specific regions while aiming to reduce costs by shifting from its current multi-platform strategy to a single, highly adaptable platform beginning in 2027.
Image Source: VanderWolf Images / Shutterstock
