- Some Volvo dealers will begin selling Polestar vehicles in a bid to boost lackluster sales.
- The change should nearly double the number of retailers in Europe and North America.
- The move is part of a larger effort to help Polestar achieve annual growth of at least 30%.
The line between Volvo and Polestar is getting even blurrier as the electric-only brand is looking to tap into Volvo’s expansive dealership network. This is a notable shift as the company has previously relied on online sales as well as a handful of dedicated Polestar Spaces.
Automobilwoche reports Polestar CEO Michael Lohscheller confirmed the change at a conference in Germany and noted the move is expected to help supercharge sales. As he explained, “Our goals of growing by 30 to 35 percent annually from 2024 to 2027 cannot be achieved with online sales alone.”
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The move will significantly expand Polestar’s footprint and Automotive News reports the number of European dealers will nearly double from 70 to 130. In North America, there should be an additional 21 Polestar retailers.
It sounds like only a handful of Volvo dealers will offer Polestar vehicles, but these numbers could eventually grow. In fact, there’s no shortage of opportunity as Volvo recently noted they have approximately 2,300 dealers in over 100 countries.
The move comes amid a shifting electric vehicle landscape, changing politics, and a brewing global trade war. Amid this background, Polestar sales fell 15% last year to 44,851 units. That was a sharp decline from 2023, when the company moved 52,796 vehicles.
While additional retailers should help to spur sales, it could lead to awkward comparisons as Polestar and Volvo have a lot in common. However, there’s a decent amount of separation as the Polestar 3 starts at $67,500 whereas the Volvo EX90 begins at $81,290 and has a third-row. The models also have different powertrains, although both ride on the SPA2 platform and share a 117.5-inch (2,985 mm) wheelbase.
