- Polestar is killing its Chinese-made flagship EV.
- The Polestar 3 electric SUV will be exclusively built in South Carolina for global customers.
- It will be Polestar’s only U.S.-made model.
Polestar, the Swedish-based electric car maker, is taking a big bet with its largest model. By the end of the year, the Polestar 3 flagship electric SUV will be assembled exclusively in the United States, making it the only American-made EV in the company’s portfolio.
Currently, the Polestar 3 is built in Chengdu, China, as well as Volvo’s Ridgeville plant in South Carolina, alongside the technically similar Volvo EX90. By the end of the year, however, Chinese production will end, as confirmed by Polestar for CarBuzz.
The move was initially announced as an “intention” late last month, when Polestar said it would “consolidate manufacturing” of its flagship electric SUV in Charleston “to drive efficiencies.” The company did not reveal the reasons for the changes, but it likely has something to do with the exorbitant import tariffs for Chinese-made vehicles and auto parts that make their way to the U.S.
Besides fully leveraging Volvo’s manufacturing capabilities stateside, Polestar also got a helping hand from its Swedish cousin to make it easier to navigate the troubled times that lie ahead for the entire auto industry. Volvo will convert roughly $274 million into additional shares, which comes on top of $300 million in financing confirmed last year.
That’s good news for the still-young EV brand. Last year, Polestar posted record retail sales of 60,119 cars–up 34% compared to 2024–but it also had to deal with $1 billion in operating losses. The extra shareholder loan and logistical headaches associated with handling two production facilities for a single product should help, though success is not guaranteed.
The Polestar 3 is the Swedish brand’s largest model. Based on the same underpinnings as the Volvo EX90, Polestar’s flagship product is a surprisingly fun-to-drive electric SUV, as our own Mack Hogan found out during his time with the battery-powered family hauler.
Besides the 3, Polestar also sells the 4 in the United States, which–despite the name–is smaller and more affordable. By the end of this year, the Polestar 5 four-door grand tourer, as well as a wagon version of the Polestar 4, will join the portfolio, followed by the second generation of the Polestar 2 entry-level sedan and the Polestar 7 compact SUV in 2028.
