New 2022 Polestar 3 will be US-built electric performance SUV

New 2022 Polestar 3 will be US-built electric performance SUV

Autocar

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Polestar 3 will be built alongside next-gen Volvo XC90

Swedish EV brand plots global expansion with dramatically styled Tesla Model X rival

Polestar's third model, a striking electric SUV with a performance focus, will enter production in the USA next year. 

Simply called the 3, following Polestar's numerical naming strategy, the SUV will be the first Volvo Group production car to use parent company Geely's new SEA architecture. 

The Polestar 3 will be built at Volvo's Ridgehill facility in South Carolina, alongside the current S60 and next-generation XC90, in line with the electric performance brand's  global aspirations. The USA is the world's second biggest global market for EVs, following China, where Polestar models are currently built.

Polestar CEO Thomas Ingenlath said: "Polestar 3 will be built in America, for our American customers. I remember the great response when I first shared Polestar's vision here in the USA and I am proud that our first SUV will be manufactured in South Carolina. 

"From now on, the USA is no longer an export market but a home market."

Benefits of US production are said include shortened delivery times for American customers, and reduced environment impact from shipping cars around the world. It will also, claims Polestar, allow the 3 to be offered at a competitive price point. 

The styling of the 3 remains under wraps ahead of its official unveiling, but design boss Max Missoni previously told Autocar that the futuristic Precept concept will have a heavy influence. 

"The design language of that car is something that you can and should expect in our future cars, starting with the Polestar 3", he said. 

It will be positioned as a rival to the Tesla Model X and Jaguar I-Pace, with the SEA underpinnings expected to offer competitive levels of performance. The first car to use that platform, Geely's new Zeekr 001 shooting brake, claims up to 435 miles of range from its largest, 100kWh battery, and uses a 536bhp twin-motor powertrain to achieve 0-62mph in 3.8 seconds. 

The taller 3 will have less of a focus on outright pace, but Polestar has confirmed it will emphasise aerodynamic efficiency, likely with the aim of maximising range. Other features include a Google-developed infotainment system, as used by the Polestar 2, and a range of "high-end, safety focussed autonomous driving features". 

As with the 2, Polestar is also expected to offer a dedicated "Performance Pack" for the 3, which will bring uprated suspension and brakes. 

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