Polestar

Polestar

Polestar Automotive Holding UAB
Sweden

Swedish electric performance-car brand that grew out of Volvo's motorsport partner and was relaunched as a standalone EV maker in 2017. It is controlled by Geely and Volvo Cars, listed on Nasdaq, and builds its cars in China and the United States.

News
US bars Polestar from selling new cars - including the ones it builds in America
EV
US bars Polestar from selling new cars - including the ones it builds in America

The Commerce Department has denied Polestar authorization to sell its 2027 and later model-year cars in the United States, citing the Connected Vehicle Rule and Geely's controlling stake. The ban even covers the Polestar 3, which is built in South Carolina. Existing dealer stock can still be sold.

26 Jun 2026
About

Polestar began in 1996 as a Swedish racing outfit and later became Volvo’s official performance partner, tuning and badging hotter versions of Volvo road cars. In 2017 the name was relaunched as a separate brand for electric performance cars, jointly owned by Volvo Cars and their shared parent, China’s Geely.

The line-up runs from the Polestar 2 fastback through the Polestar 3 and 4 SUVs, with the Polestar 5 and 6 to follow. Design and engineering are led from Gothenburg in Sweden, while production is split between China and, for the Polestar 3, a plant in South Carolina. The company has traded on the Nasdaq exchange since 2022.

Polestar’s ownership structure has become a commercial problem in the United States. Under the Connected Vehicle Rule, which bars cars with Chinese-linked connectivity hardware, Geely’s controlling stake led the Commerce Department to deny authorization for Polestar’s 2027 and later models - even the US-built Polestar 3 - pushing the brand to concentrate on Europe, Southeast Asia and Latin America.

Frequently asked questions
Who owns Polestar?
Polestar is owned by Geely and Volvo Cars.
What country is Polestar from?
Polestar is a Swedish brand, headquartered in Gothenburg.
Where are Polestar cars built?
Polestar vehicles are manufactured in China and USA.
When was Polestar founded?
Polestar was founded in 2017.
What kind of cars does Polestar make?
Polestar makes electric performance cars.
Who owns Polestar?
Polestar is controlled by China's Geely - which also owns Volvo Cars - with Volvo Cars holding a stake of its own. The company has been listed on the Nasdaq stock exchange since 2022.
Where are Polestar cars built?
Most Polestar models are built in China. The Polestar 3 SUV has also been produced in Charleston, South Carolina, since 2024, alongside Volvo's US plant.
Why was Polestar barred from selling new cars in the United States?
Under the US Connected Vehicle Rule, vehicles with Chinese-linked connectivity hardware are blocked on national-security grounds. Because Geely holds the controlling stake in Polestar, the Commerce Department denied authorization for its 2027 and later model-year cars.
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