Polestar Opens New R&D Center In The UK For EV Development

Polestar has set up a new Research and Development center in Coventry, UK with the goal to develop future electric vehicle technologies.

Polestar’s new UK engineering operations is set to employ 60 engineers initially, adding a wealth of specialized skills to the company that aims to focus on performance electric cars, beyond the already revealed Polestar 2.

“Investing in the automotive engineering talent that the UK has to offer will strengthen our capabilities,” said Thomas Ingenlath, Chief Executive Officer at Polestar. “The passion and dedication of these great engineers fit the Polestar spirit perfectly and will allow us to create some really awesome cars!”

Also Read: Polestar 1 Will Be A Thrilling Driver’s Car, Says Company’s Chief Test Driver

Coventry is also home to Jaguar Land Rover’s headquarters, as well as Geely’s design studio and the London EV Company, which manufactures the new plug-in hybrid TX London Taxis.

“The team that will kick start the new UK R&D subsidiary is already well-versed in Polestar engineering philosophy, and we will expand the initial team further during the course of 2019,” added Hans Pehrson, responsible for Research and Development at Polestar. “These engineers will be a great complement to our existing R&D team based in Sweden, and other supporting teams around the world.”

The brand’s first all-electric model will be the Polestar 2, a direct rival to the Tesla Model 3 that offers a combined 402hp (300kW) and a targeted driving range of 275 miles (442km) EPA. Production is scheduled to start in early 2020 in China for global markets, including China, the United States, Canada, Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and the UK.

Before the Polestar 2 arrives however, we’ll get the Polestar 1; a high-performance two-door performance coupe set to arrive in the market this year,  featuring a 592hp plug-in hybrid powertrain, carbon-fiber bodywork and an EV range of 93 miles (150km).