Emerging premium car brand Polestar has delivered the first European Polestar 2 electric vehicle (EV) to a customer at its headquarters in Gothenburg, Sweden.

While the brand is yet to open its first UK Polestar Space retail location - more than eight months after Endeavour Automotive revealed that it would open the brand's first, in London - the first sale was delivered in the Geely-owned brand's Sweden homeland this week.

AM revealed last week that Polestar is also currently searching for a new managing director in the UK after Andrew Pilkington left for Hyundai premium car brand Genesis.

Delivery of the Thunder-coloured Polestar 2 fastback was celebrated as a key milestone this week, however.

Upon receiving his car, which was  specified with a Charcoal WeaveTech vegan interior, new Polestar owner Sture Stensson said: “I ordered my Polestar 2 on launch day, this is my first electric vehicle and I have mounted solar panels on the roof for easy charging at home. I have read all the great reviews in the papers and online, and picked up many new cars throughout the years, but this is the greatest moment so far.”

Polestar announced Polestar 2 in an online reveal in early 2019. In light of the COVID-19 Coronavirus pandemic, Polestar said the company worked ‘tirelessly’ to ensure a safe start of production in its shared production facility in Luqiao, China, in March 2020.

Thomas Ingenlath, the chief executive of Polestar, said: “To have overcome production and logistics challenges due to the global pandemic and to be able to bring this product to our customers when we said we would is a huge achievement. The press reaction has been incredible, and we are building real momentum behind Polestar 2.”

Polestar’s digital-first retail model aims to change the face of automotive retail. Polestar Spaces will feature in major cities across ten launch markets, and 14 spaces are already open across China, Europe and North America, with around 50 global inner-city Polestar Spaces set to open before the end of 2020.

Adrian Wallington, Endeavour Automotive managing director, revealed his business’s plan for a London site in November last year.

Speaking to AM at last year’s Geneva Motor Show the Gothenburg-based premium EV brand’s chief operating officer, John Goodman, said that the brand had already conducted discussions with franchisees of its Volvo sister brand and had settled on its UK franchise partners.

The company said Polestar Spaces allow customers to immerse themselves in the brand and learn more about the cars and the business.

Non-commissioned Polestar Specialists are on hand to provide information and advice, while the locations also enable customers to take a test drive. 

The buying journey remains exclusively digital and direct with Polestar.

The first Swedish customers are joined by customers in China and the first Norwegian customers in the first week of August, after which customers in Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands and the UK will begin to receive their cars.

Deliveries in Switzerland and North America will follow.

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What consumers really want - trends and habits dealers must understand to provide the right buying experience

Barriers to EV purchase - many private motorists need extra help before they take the plunge

Delighting used car buyers - it's essential for retailers to offer tailored experiences and great value

Aftersales customer care - valuable interactions are vital as dealerships face fishing in a diminishing pool

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