Tag Archives: polestar

Polestar just beat Tesla by launching their very own Smartphone

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Unless China celebrates April Fool’s Day 18 days after the rest of the world, these images circulating on Polestar’s Weibo account hint that the company may be getting into the smartphone game.

Of all the EV companies to tease a smartphone, we probably expected Tesla to be the first. The internet was constantly filled with rumors teasing a Teslaphone (we even covered one of them), but turns out Polestar may have beaten them to the punch. The phone was spotted on the Google Play Console in February and was actually certified for sale in China last year, so this might not be a prank. The Polestar Phone is real, and this is what it looks like.

Designer: Polestar

The Polestar Phone sports an all-white and silver colorway, with clean lines, tight curves, and immaculate surfaces, just like its cars. Coincidentally enough, the clean design can’t entirely be attributed to Polestar – the phone is, in fact, a rebranded version of the Meizu 21 Pro, running a different OS and with Polestar’s branding on the back as well as the sides.

If we need to go off of the Meizu 21 Pro specs, the phone will run on a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset, and sport a 50 MP main camera, along with a 13 MP ultra-wide-angle shooter, and a telephoto camera with 3x optical zoom and periscope lens. The front will sport an edge-to-edge 2k+ screen with a 21:9 ratio and super-thin 2.2mm bezels.

The phone will apparently run a version of Android called the PoleStarOS – this is where the automotive company expects its expertise to shine through. While nobody will specifically buy a Polestar phone, the OS will offer a compelling reason for Polestar EV owners to make the switch. The phone’s OS will boast tight integration with the Polestar EV ecosystem, demonstrating how the two tech devices can integrate into each other to create a well-rounded user experience for car owners.

Barring a few images and a teaser video, not much is known about the Polestar Phone. However, the device is being primed for an April 24th launch. Who knows, if this works out we might get a Tesla X Smartphone sometime soon?!

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The Polestar 8 is a rugged SUV concept that brings automotive aggression out through minimalism

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This might not be Polestar’s first SUV, but it’s surely the first to have an attitude…

Meet the Polestar 8, an SUV concept from the mind of Turin-based Salvatore Ville. A subsidiary of Volvo, Polestar is best known for its pure and minimalist ethos, which reflects in its choice of zero-emission drivetrains, clean designs, and even the use of recycled materials in its construction – however, minimalism has never really been a defining visual language for any car brand. Automotive minimalism is somewhat of a misnomer because people usually like their cars to offer more value for money. Sure, that’s a reductionist way to go about designing a car, but the cleaner a car looks, oftentimes the less eye-catching it tends to be around other cars. Keeping this in mind, Ville designed the Polestar 8 as an SUV that embraces minimalism with a twist – instead of simply opting for clean surfaces, Ville amped up the aggression by giving the car a dominating silhouette. The Polestar 8 looks like the Polestar 3 that went to the gym. It has a wider more brutish stance, a clean design that still manages to look roguish, and an interplay between metallic surfaces and black trims to create a dual-tone effect that gives the car dynamism without being overtly distracting.

Designer: Salvatore Ville

What Ville does really well with the Polestar 8’s design is balance aggression with automotive DNA. The SUV captures the essence of the Polestar brand with its headlights and taillights, the strategic placement of the Polestar logo, and the use of clean surfaces without any major detailing like air intakes. The car’s aggression manifests in the form of large tires, a dominating stance, and those razor-thin rear-view cameras on the side that could cut through wind like a sword.

Around the back, the Polestar 8’s design remains faithful to the futuristic motif. The taillights stretch across the vehicle’s width and height, creating a luminous signature that could double as a motif in a sci-fi film. Here, form follows function in a dance of light, giving the SUV a presence that’s hard to miss when night falls.

The profile of this conceptual Polestar is where the narrative of modern sculpture on wheels truly unfolds. It carries an athletic stance, with a roofline that sweeps back in a coupe-like descent. The absence of traditional door mirrors—replaced, perhaps, by cameras—stays true to the ethos of creating a seamless profile that’s as wind-friendly as it is eye-catching. Large, imposing wheels fill the arches, grounded yet ready to propel this vision into motion at a moment’s notice.

The use of color and materials appears meticulously chosen to reflect light and shadow in a dance that changes as the day grows old. The Polestar 8, with its combination of metallic hues and carbon fiber accents, looks just as much at home in the heart of a bustling metropolis as it does against the backdrop of a futuristic skyline. One can only imagine the interior, likely a cocoon of advanced technology and minimalist luxury—a space where the outside world is both present and pleasantly held at bay.

While the Polestar 8 concept SUV may not be a blueprint for a production model, it stands as a canvas for the imagination.

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This muscular impersonation of Polestar O2 is one impressive roadster in the making

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Polestar is making steady progress in reinforcing its stronghold in the electric vehicle market with EVs like Polestar 2 fairing better than the Tesla Model 3. The Polestar O2 concept with its own drone has further reignited the general direction in which EV roadsters are heading.

The convertible has left the automotive community wondering why this is not a production version that the Swedish-Chinese automaker is considering bringing to the roads well before 2026. Now another electric car concept has left me wondering what if Polestar actually pushes this one on the production lines? Would other EV makers have to up their game to beat a roadster like this one?

Designer: Devam Jangra

This is Polestar Concept roadster penned to fuel Polestar’s future-forward vision backed by balanced design aesthetics. The approach to make cars exciting to look at and drive as well, is very important in a landscape dominated by similar-looking electric four-wheelers. Devam’s creation has a very apparent inspiration from the O2 but with a more contoured shape, and of course, a more sports car-like personality.

The two-seater performance EV has a broad stance like the Ferrari Enzo or the Renault RS 01 to make the presence felt in a street race. Those mean headlights stare you in the face as the cockpit narrows down to amplify the performance-oriented posture. The rear has a sharp flowing aesthetic complemented by unibody taillights like an inverted spoiler on a Formula-1 car. The muscular middle section of the roadster gives off a very toned look which adds overall impressive character to this Polestar.

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Formula Polestar is a refreshing glimpse into the future of zero emission racing cars

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The electrification wave is slowly taking over the Formula-1 ranks with the Formula-E racing car teams constantly developing technology for sustainable entertainment without compromising on the speed thrill.

Even Formula-1 is working around the clock to be “Net Zero Carbon” by the end of 2030. One good example is the development of 100% sustainable fuel that’s slated for the 2026 season if everything goes according to plan. Already F1’s new generation cars operate on E10 fuel which is a blend of 90% fuel and purely sustainable 10% renewable ethanol.

Designer: Karfidov Lab

The racing landscape is going to make a radical shift before the decade ends and so will be the dynamics of Formula-1 or Formula-E cars; whichever way the pendulum weighs heavily. One thing is for sure, the prime racing car generation in 2030 will be either powered by pure electric power, a hybrid of electric and sustainable fuel, or even better, completely sustainable fuel. This Formula Polestar racing car is a vision of what’s going to be speeding the challenging circuits at breakneck speeds.

This is a project shortlisted for the Polestar Design Contest 2022 that’s already seen a plethora of impressive entries. Christened the Formula Polestar, this racing car looks like the worthy descendant of the current generation Formula-1 and Formula-E racers. The evolution instinct takes over the front wing that’s recessed behind the monocoque shell protecting the driver. The rear wing is completely gone in favor of a sleek design.

I’m not sure how this Polestar will manage to produce the downforce needed to keep glued to the racing surface at speeds in excess of 300 km/h. As soon as I look closely, the aerodynamic craft impresses me, as the wing is placed parallel to the lower section of the rear wheels. That hints towards an advanced fuel cell technology or a compact battery cell in the underbody, making way for more space to fit in the wing. There’s no exhaust to worry about, so ample space to generate airflow to create superior traction and control. As the brief description of the project puts it rightly, the car is centered on performance with its “active aerodynamics and multifunctional suspension.”

The halo section opens up like a gull-winded supercar’s doors to give the driver access to the racing seat. When the racer is buckled up, the section falls back into place giving the vital head protection that’s paramount in any racing sports. Compared to current generation F1 or Formula E cockpits, this one has a digital display to make the telemetry visible in amber colors.

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This Polestar electric bike is a perfect amalgam of looks, power and ergonomic comfort

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Polestar is going great guns with exponential profits in the last year or so with SUVs and performance cars being liked by the masses. The Swedish automotive brand has also forayed into the two-wheeler market with a hand-built mountain bike, so it makes complete sense to envision a performance electric bike for the premium EV maker.

The Polestar CP1 Concept is a culmination of the future polestar motorbike with a performance akin to current-day gas-powered bikes. The brainchild of Lukasw Wenzhöfer takes shape as a likable realistic version of Polestar sports bike you’d see unless some other designer envisions better.

Designer: Lukasw Wenzhöfer

Just like the four-wheeled counterparts, this Polestar EV bike has a very geometric, edgy design. The high riding position reinforces the ride’s performance status backed with the high-grade suspension system. The focus of this design is on ergonomics and functionality. So, those good looks are not merely for the eye candy factor, but rather for a defined shape that makes complete practical sense.

That futuristic array of headlights contrasting with the minimal yet sci-fi taillights gives us an idea of the head being put into the overall vision for the bike. The wide body stance when viewed from the front and the naked rear arouses a sense of distinct appeal only reserved for performance bikes. If electric bikes can look as good as this, there’ll be many takers for a Polestar two-wheeler without a doubt.

Combined with the futuristic hues of black, silver and grey, the Polestar CP1 Concept is destined to be a winning combination of cool looks, punchy performance and ergonomic aesthetics that help make any EV the cut through past the blueprint stage, then to the prototype stage, and finally on to the production stage. Would all of us bike fanatics want this Polestar bike to be a reality someday? The answer would be a resounding yes!

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The Polestar 1_1 is a single-seater track car that immerses you in the thrill of the ride

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Created as an entry for the Annual Polestar Design Challenge, the 1_1 focuses on perfecting the art and the thrill of racing. The name 1_1 is a cryptic indication of the car’s formula.

One kilowatt for every kilogram, a power-to-weight ratio that presents the absolute perfect driving experience, according to Jerome Claus, designer of the Polestar 1_1. The conceptual track car is lightweight, and comes made from flax fiber (in keeping with the car company’s sustainable mission). The car seats just one, and is designed to immerse the driver in an experience that feels so incredibly thrilling and adrenaline-pumping, you forget about the fact that the vehicle has, in fact, a zero carbon footprint “… which, ultimately, is the entire point”, says Claus.

Designer: Jeroen Claus

Claus likens the entire car to a living organism of sorts, which responds to speed, driving inputs, and external conditions. The Polestar 1_1 comes with Active Aero surfaces – a series of flexible panels that help guide and shape the air for a desired balance between aerodynamics and downforce.

Oddly enough, the single-seater cockpit sits on the left side of the car, creating a visual imbalance that looks oddly refreshing. A black line, however, demarcates what would otherwise be the interiors if the car seated 4. It’s safe to assume that the 1_1 uses that neutral space to the right of the driver to store battery cells, adding to the car’s weight and balancing things out.

Visually, the 1_1 is every bit a Polestar just by virtue of its design directions. The car boasts of an incredibly clean design language with a minimal-yet-expressive Scandinavian-inspired body that’s a hat tip to the Precept. The car’s all-white, obviously, and runs on an electric power train, but you didn’t need me to tell you that. In fact, it looks like a less intense, less intimidating version of the Polestar Adaptor concept we covered earlier this year.

While the Adaptor offered the option of autonomous driving, the 1_1 is all about giving you the headrush of having a steering wheel in your hands to control a massive hunk of metal blitzing down a road at breakneck speeds. The car boasts of a 4-point harness seatbelt to keep the driver in place, and instead of a traditional steering wheel, you’ve got a yoke to give you better control.

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This Scandinavian-inspired SUV concept celebrates everything that Volvo and Polestar stand for

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The boxy nature of the Volvo XC concept seems like a hat-tip to the Swedish company’s humble design beginnings, although that modern, minimalist appearance feels a lot like the Polestar ethos was also brought to the table. The result, however, is an SUV that looks fantastic. The clean design doesn’t look boring, and there are enough subtle details to guide the eye and keep people transfixed. Truly a masterclass in Scandinavian automotive design, and a lesson that all automotive brands should consider taking.

Designer: Chris Lah

I’m resisting the temptation to bring the Cybertruck up as a comparison only because it seems overdone at this point in time, but then again, it seems to be the only apt comparison apart from Canoo’s own cars. The XC’s design boasts of a similar cleanness but doesn’t distort the car’s silhouette to the extent the Cybertruck does. It’s minimal without being abstract, is what I’m trying to say. The Volvo XC comes with simple 3D surfaces, punctuated by parting lines galore that add their own distinct flavor to the car. The headlights are almost a hat-tip to Polestar’s automobiles – although that isn’t really much of a surprise considering Volvo is Polestar’s parent brand. The taillights, on the other hand, feel unmistakably Polestar.

The Volvo XC concept gets its name from the XC90, which it shares its wheelbase with. However, unlike the XC90 which hugs the tarmac, the latter hs much higher ground clearance, rivaling the 2021 Ford Bronco. The inspiration for the XC’s aesthetic has strong roots in Scandinavian minimalism – a distinct design ethos that’s arguably one of Sweden’s biggest contributions to the world of design. In that pursuit of minimalism, the XC does take quite a few cues from its sibling, the Polestar Precept. Especially the nude metallic finish, the embracing of dynamic parting lines, and even the car’s rims, which are a hat-tip to the Swedish flag’s design.

The XC, however, isn’t made for the urban setup the way the Precept is. Its larger-than-life persona and high ground clearance indicate the fact that it can easily dominate any sort of terrain. The SUV clearly runs on an electric powertrain, given the absence of a grille on the front or exhaust at the back. It also sports a massive boot-space, perfect for carrying your outdoor gear with you, and boasts of panoramic windows as well as a tinted roof that immerses you in whatever space you’re driving through, be it city roads or even mountainous terrain.

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The Polestar Cladrus Concept runs partially on solar power, making it the company’s cleanest car yet

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Borrowing from the LightYear One EV’s framework, the Polestar Cladrus concept car comes with transparent solar panels built into its roof, which feed energy to the car’s graphene-based battery and body panel. If that wasn’t cutting-edge enough, the car’s also been envisioned with level 5 autonomy, thanks to the presence of a Waymo-esque sensor hub on the front of the roof.

Designer: Harshul Verma

The Cladrus embodies everything Polestar stands for. It’s cutting-edge, runs on an electrical grid, puts drivers in the lap of luxury, and boasts of a Scandinavian design language that gives the car its signature clean aesthetic. The car also details out the partnership agreement between Polestar and Waymo by delivering something that looks rather palpable.

The name Cladrus comes from the mythical Greek bird Caladrius, known for its healing and regenerative powers. The name in the context of the car is a hat-tip to Polestar’s global mission of championing sustainability by recycling parts of its automobiles. The company’s recent car, the Precept, was hailed for creating a recycling system for aluminum, and also for also using 100% recycled plastic to weave the yarn used inside the car’s interiors. Cladrus, even though a concept, champions that attitude too by hinting at the use of recycled metals and plastics in the entire car.

The entire automobile, from front to back and top to bottom, is an absolute visual treat to look at. Designer Harshul Verma used simple, edgy forms to create the car’s delicate balance and dynamic volumes. The Cladrus comes with a sprawling sun-roof that goes from front all the way to the back. Given that there’s no traditional driver or cockpit, transparency and visibility weren’t a pressing issue. Instead, the car provides a panoramic roof that illuminates the interiors, and ditches the windows (and even doors) altogether to create a sense of privacy.

How does one enter a car without doors? Well, the entire roof pops open from the back, creating a ramp that leads right into the Cladrus’ spacious interiors. The Cladrus comfortably seats 4, and can fit as many as 5 passengers within. A sofa and two armchairs create a wonderful luxurious in-car experience – an experience that’s only further heightened by the Cladrus’ wood-panel flooring.

Verma posits that his concept hopes to redefine EVs. Not only does the Polestar Cladrus run (at least supplementally) on solar power, but the power is supplied to graphene-based batteries instead of the traditional lithium-ion ones. Since graphene can be used as a supercapacitor, the solar panels end up being much more efficient, and Verma mentions that graphene enables the solar panels to directly power the car, instead of routing it through the battery. Any extra energy that isn’t immediately used by the car gets stored in its battery, allowing Cladrus to run at night too. The designer doesn’t mention if there’s an ability to charge the car traditionally, but considering Polestar comes from Sweden which sees a dramatic decrease in solar energy during the winters, one would expect the concept car to have some sort of failsafe!

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Meet the Polestar Adaptor, a roadster concept designed with Level 5 autonomy

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Although the Polestar Adaptor’s autonomous skills may seem like its most impressive detail, that distinction actually goes to the cockpit, which designer Yi-Wei Chiu created in the shape of Polestar’s own logo!

The Adaptor follows Polestar’s firmly rooted design language of classic Scandinavian minimalism (the company’s Swedish, remember?) with a touch of edgy futurism. The car’s envisioned in white (as are most Polestar automobiles), and has the same headlights as the Precept. Unlike the Precept, however, the Adaptor is a slick, floor-hugging roadster with no top. And it seats just two people, who can access the car’s cabin using a rather unseen door style, but more on that later.

Designer: Yi-Wei Chiu

Designer Yi-Wei Chen began the project as a way of exploring a human’s journey toward autonomous cars. The first step was to design an automobile that inspires trust. A car that looks capable yet equally thrilling, inviting you for the ride. Chen designed the Adaptor to be the kind of car that people would enjoy to drive, or even ride in. The lack of a top means feeling the wind on your hair, and the low-slung body allows you to hit higher speeds while maintaining great downforce.

Chen also speaks about how the Polestar Adaptor would gather data for its level 5 autonomy. There’s a focus on privacy, stating that all the information the car collects is owned by the owners of the car. The driver can use this to train their car’s AI while being certain that any data the Adaptor collects won’t be monetized or infringed upon.

What’s perhaps the most interesting detail is the Adaptor’s cabin. The car is relatively slab-shaped and has doors that are located horizontally on the top rather than on the sides of the car. Its interiors (if you can call them that) are a modern take on the sidecar, with an elongated cockpit for the driver, and a more enclosed cabin for the shotgun rider. When observed from the top, the cabin looks almost ‘star-shaped’, like a reinterpretation of Polestar’s own logo. The elongated cabin for the driver comes with a steering wheel, and should they choose, will also support level 5 autonomy so the driver and passenger can both enjoy the thrill of the journey!

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Darth Vader helmet inspired Polestar hatchback has a cheeky dark side

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Polestar happens to attract a lot of attention from automotive concept designers who want a starting point to kick off their passion for crafting blueprints of future electric vehicles. And why not, EVs like Polestar 1 are loaded with upbeat technology and attractive design one could crave in a modern four-wheeler. The Volvo-owned Swedish automotive brand follows a pure and clean design language, but what if the more aggressive, dark side of a Polestar is explored?

This Polestar H03 Hatchback concept reimagines the four-wheelers’ current success mantra with a sharper stance which I absolutely love. A hatchback designed for 2030 gives us a peek into the logical evolution we could very well witness. That balance of asymmetric and geometric shape displays the bold detour Polestar could be in stall for within a decade’s time.

Designer: Anay Kshirsagar

Not making a complete shift to a new look, the designer of this concept maintains the same sharp aesthetics. The front has the peculiar Stormtrooper helmet shape which is indeed a very nostalgic choice to make. Also, the aggressive side panels are reminiscent of the Darth Vader helmet which will without doubt please Star Wars fans.

Wheel rims carry the same sci-fi inspiration, bringing the element of boxy character to the hatchback which oozes with feature lines to convey speed and aggression. The texture of H03 hints towards its lightweight carbon fiber make, and the scratches and imperfections on closer inspection showcase the chaos of the dark side. The designer likes to put this as Duality Concept, and that’s pretty obvious with the contrasting dual-sided paint job – white on one side and black on the other. It’s not every day you come across an EV that you actually want to take for a spin on the freeway.

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