- Polestar, a new electric performance band from Volvo Car Group, is establishing their retail network.
- The company wants a look, feel, and experience different from traditional car dealerships.
- The first “Polestar Space” will open next year in downtown Oslo, Norway on Øvre Slottsgate.
Polestar Spaces
Don’t call them dealerships, don’t even think of them as such. “Polestar Spaces” are anything but traditional dealerships, according to the automaker. The new electric performance brand, fresh off the North American reveal of the Polestar 1, will begin establishing its retail network.
“Polestar will be a fully digital brand, but a Polestar Space is where customers will be able to come into direct contact with us,” explained Thomas Ingenlath, Chief Executive Officer, Polestar. “In a Polestar Space, they’ll meet and interact with a Polestar brand and product expert, see the engineering under the skin as well as be able to take a test drive.”
The first Polestar Space will open in the middle of 2019 in Oslo, Norway, a key market according to the automaker.
“As Norway is one of the world’s most important electric vehicle markets, it is logical to begin the Polestar Space story in Oslo,” Ingenlath said.
Museum Exhibits & Multiple Channels
Polestar wants a minimalist approach, with a showroom space that closely mirrors the design and philosophy behind Polestar cars. The locations will have a museum-like feel. Wheels and carbon-fibre sections will stand like exhibits, complimented by material finishes, paint colors, and leather samples.
“A visit to a Polestar Space will be a very different experience to today’s typical car dealership,” Ingenlath said. “We aim to surprise and delight our customers, removing the hassle that comes with traditional car ownership.”
Representatives and employees will also embody the company’s retail philosophy.
“As the customer will order the car online, they won’t experience hard-sell, commission-based salespeople in a Polestar Space. Our customers will never feel pressure to sign a contract,” Ingenlath continued. “Polestar is a multi-channel brand which is why it must be supported by a unique retail experience.”
Forward Looking
Polestar opens their portfolio with the Polestar 1, a 600 horsepower, low-volume performance hybrid. The aptly named and higher-volume Polestar 2 and 3 will follow as full battery-electric vehicles.
“By the middle of 2020, we aim to have opened up to 60 Spaces around the world to support the key launch markets for the brand,” Ingenlath said. “As we progress, we will open Spaces in more locations to support our retail development, making the brand more accessible with the opening of each new Space.”
The Automoblog Staff contributed to this report and can be reached anytime.
Photos & Source: Polestar.
