Volvo's Electric-Performance Brand Polestar Launches Mobile Service Program for the U.S.

author: Eric Walz   

The Polestar 2 EV.

Electric-performance brand Polestar Cars, a dedicated EV brand jointly owned by automakers Volvo and its parent company Chinese automaker Zhejiang Geely Holding (Geely), has announced a new mobile service plan that will include technician visits to a customer's home or workplace should their Polestar EV require any maintenance or servicing.

The service is designed to improve the Polestar customer experience, especially for those who currently do not live near a Polestar authorized service location.

Under the program, a Polestar technician will visit a customer's location to perform a variety of services, including software updates and minor repairs, eliminating the need to send a car long distance for maintenance, Polestar said. 

The Polestar 2 EV also supports OTA software updates and remote diagnostics, so a customer will rarely ever need to send a car in for service during their ownership, according to the company.

Polestar customers located in the contiguous 48 states can request mobile service via Polestar's 24/7 Customer Support by phone or online at polestar.com/contact.

"With Polestar's mobile service offering, customers don't need to worry about the distance between them and their nearest Polestar service point," said Steve DeGrazio, Head of Customer Service & Quality, Polestar in North America. "Although Polestar Spaces are rapidly opening in most major cities, mobile service is a convenient solution for those without a local Polestar authorized service point."

Like Tesla, Polestar will not have a traditional network of dealerships to sell or service its vehicles. Instead, Polestar is opening retail locations called "Polestar Spaces" that will serve as showrooms. Customers can visit to learn more about the brand and the Polestar 2. 

Test drives with the Polestar 2 are available at local Polestar Spaces or can be coordinated at home in select cities from Polestar.com/test-drive. 

The Polestar 2 is the company's first mass-market performance EV, following the launch of the limited edition 619-horsepower electric performance hybrid Polestar 1, which launched in 2017.

Polestar said last year that it plans to use its retail network to sell about 50,000 electric vehicles a year by 2023. The company said it will partner with established retailer groups in order to best represent the brand in each location for sales and service.

Polestar is opening Polestar Spaces in New York, Los Angeles, Austin, Texas, Boston, Denver, Seattle, South Florida and Washington D.C. with more cities planned. Polestar plans to establish a total of 35 Polestar Spaces across the United States by the end of 2022.

The mobile service program, which has been live since early May, supplements the technical support offered at these retail locations. Customers living within 150 miles of a Polestar Space or service point will still receive complimentary pickup, delivery and servicing of their vehicle.

Polestar is operated by Sweden-based Volvo Cars as a standalone performance EV brand. Polestar is competing with Tesla with its Polestar 2 EV. It will be more affordable than the Model S with a MSRP of $59,900, yet priced competitively with the Tesla Model 3 Performance. The EV will be available for sale in all 50 U.S. states.

The Polestar 2 is rated at more than 400 horsepower, and can go from zero to 60 mph in about five seconds. The vehicle features an all-wheel drive powertrain and 78 kWh battery pack. The EV is being built in China.

The Polestar 2 is also the world's first vehicle powered by Google's Android Automotive OS. Popular Google apps such as Google Assistant and Google Maps are built into the vehicle's infotainment system, so owners will not have to sync a smartphone to the vehicle.

Last year, The Polestar 2 won the luxury category in the annual German Car of the Year (GCOTY) awards. Among the judging criteria are design, driving pleasure, drivetrain, handling, quality, comfort, practicality, safety, environment, infotainment and price/performance ratio. 

Eric Walz

Originally hailing from New Jersey, Eric is a automotive & technology reporter covering the high-tech industry here in Silicon Valley. He has over 15 years of automotive experience and a bachelors degree in computer science. These skills, combined with technical writing and news reporting, allows him to fully understand and identify new and innovative technologies in the auto industry and beyond. He has worked at Uber on self-driving cars and as a technical writer, helping people to understand and work with technology.