Polestar, the upmarket, EV-only offshoot from Volvo, will be opening 15 new stores in the US. Known as “Polestar Spaces,” these outlets will apparently be “without the pressures that come from a traditional automotive dealership,” or in other words, tech-style retail outlets.
So far, Polestar Spaces were found in Mahwah, NJ, New York City, NY, Corte Madera, Santa Monica, and Palo Alto, CA. However, if you wanted to experience and test drive a Polestar 2, you could get a home-delivered demonstrator vehicle — provided you were in a city that offered such a service.
See: Polestar 2 Gains OTA Updates Improving Certain Features And Rendering Some Service Visits Useless
While the rollout of these 15 Polestar Spaces isn’t likely to put the frighteners on nation-wide auto dealers, it is a step in the right direction for the Polestar brand, which seeks to increase brand presence in the US. The first lot of added retail spaces (they’re not calling them dealerships, see) is opening in the first half of 2021, in Austin, Texas, as well as Boston, Denver, Seattle, South Florida, and Washington.
In the latter half of 2021, Polestar will add to that tally, with more stores in Atlanta, Central and South New Jersey, Connecticut, Dallas, Detroit, Minneapolis, Phoenix, and Orange County, Calif.
In a move that seems to channel Apple and their approach to selling tech, Polestar says that each space will be operated by “non-commissioned Polestar Specialists.” The Spaces will follow Scandinavian design ethos, which will supposedly minimize any distractions so that guests can enjoy their experience at their own pace.
Read: 2021 Polestar 1 Order Books Are Open For Final Build Slots
The new showrooms will also see Polestar offer home-delivered test-drives to those within the vicinity. Or they can be arranged by walking into one of the retail stores. And the Tesla-like option of purchasing a car sight-unseen online is still an option as well.
“In 2019, we stated our goal of servicing 85% of the addressable EV market within a year of the Polestar 2 launch,” said Gregor Hembrough, Head of Polestar in North America. “With these 2021 appointments, we will accomplish that and more — especially with our free pickup and delivery servicing within 150 miles of a brick-and-mortar Polestar location.”
