Polestar finally arrives in France and plans a competitor to the Scenic and Model Y

The Sino-Swedish brand Polestar, a subsidiary of the Geely group (with Volvo), is finally arriving in France. The ambitions are great, but the challenge that Polestar awaits is just as great. The CEO, former boss of Opel, is already under pressure.

The arrival of Polestar in France is a small event. Firstly because it is rare to see a new European manufacturer arrive here – we are more used to Chinese ones lately. But also because Polestar has free rein, after being blocked by Citroën for totally ludicrous reasons. But now it’s about finally turning the test around for Polestar, which has had a difficult 2024. Like others, you will tell us, but Polestar is no longer really in a position to procrastinate. Michael Lohscheller, the former boss of Opel then Vinfast, now takes control of Polestar with a clear mission: to quickly find the path to growth, to move from an “exotic” brand to a more major player in electromobility. And this will not be an easy feat in the premium segment.

A compact SUV for Europe

Polestar therefore arrives in France with a regional director who is none other than Stéphane Le Guevel. The Frenchman, who already managed Polestar in Spain, spent years at Stellantis, where he was notably the general manager… of Opel, for France. Clearly, there is Opel at Polestar.

The Scandinavian brand has not yet fully detailed its plan for France, but we can already imagine the arrival of the new compact SUV “7”, which will be the smallest and least expensive in the catalog and potentially produced in Slovakia. More accessible than the Polestar 2, it will also be produced in Europe, which could allow it to obtain the bonus – if indeed the latter still exists at the time of launch. And, for Polestar, this model will be crucial, since the manufacturer sold only 45,000 cars worldwide last year. The CEO expects growth of 35% by 2027.

The 7 will probably help the brand a lot, which we are starting to come across quite often among our Swiss neighbors. We also went to a small presentation in Neuchâtel at the end of the summer to discover the new Polestar without rear window, and the products look good at first glance: up-to-date finishes, interesting features (on paper) and rather positive popularity rating among the audience of prospects present on site. It now remains to be seen how Polestar will manage the French market, which is less financially well off. The price presentation will be interesting to follow, as will the distribution model: will Polestar be sold next to Volvo showrooms, or on dedicated sites?