…And it’s a wrap: 2024 highlights
It’s that time of the year—the time to reflect, evaluate, and celebrate what’s been and what’s to come. Here’s a look back at another action-packed year in the Polestar universe.
Let’s take it from the top (of the globe). It’s early winter in Ruka, northern Finland, where the tree branches hang heavy from decimeters of snow. During this time of year, the sun only makes an appearance for a few hours a day. Snowboarder Antti Autti knows how to make the best of those hours, snowboard in one hand, Polestar 2 keys in the other.
Around the same time, but a few latitudes further south, a Polestar 2 set out to explore a craggy and raw beauty: the Scottish Highlands. Driving along the famed North Coast 500, it came across some of the country’s most breathtaking spots, like the Applecross pass, Kylesku Bridge, and Shieldaig, along with countless picturesque beaches and bays. No matter what time of the year you go, we’re confident you won’t be disappointed.
In early February, we welcomed a new member of our family. Polestar 4 had arrived in Europe and Australia. To mark this special moment, our then Head of Design Maximilian Missoni guided us through the must-know features that make Polestar 4 a new breed of SUV coupé. Watch the video in full here.
Throughout the year, we’ve had the immense pleasure of spending time with our favorite kind of people: our customers. We’ve sat down with Indiana-based Gordon Murphy (who almost crashed into our camera operator), proud Polestar 3 owner Alex Knollenberg, and our Australian friend Stan Gorton and his dog Twiggy.
We also welcomed journalists to drive the Polestar 3 on northern Sweden’s frozen lakes—and the reactions speak for themselves. One journalist said: “It feels remarkably light and compact. I don't think I've ever experienced anything like it.” While another concluded that “Polestar 3 is a huge step-up in class, driver involvement, design, and performance.” The press would later get to test the Polestar 4 as well, yet on less slippery surfaces.
Polestar 3 is sleek, aerodynamic, and versatile. But it’s also an SUV, which is a segment that contributes massively to the release of greenhouse gas emissions. In March, we released Polestar 3’s Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), disclosing the vehicle’s carbon footprint, acknowledging the need for electric alternatives in this segment, and the fact that there is much more we can do as an industry to lower emissions.
We engaged in even more knowledge-sharing in April, detailing the differences between an SUV coupé and an SUV. Now, if you’re still not sure, have a read.
In spring, going into summer, we game-changingly charged a Polestar 5 in 10 minutes. Yes, you read that right. 10 minutes! Using special battery cells provided by StoreDot, the world's leading advanced battery provider, a team of Polestar R&D battery specialists charged a prototype Polestar 5 battery pack from 10 to 80 percent in exactly 10 minutes. This demonstration was the first time a complete battery pack had been tested and marked a significant step towards the implementation of extreme fast charging capabilities.
Summer saw some fun adventures. For instance, we filmed the Gothenburg Marathon using the Polestar 4’s HD rearview camera, visited Michelin star restaurants, crashed an EV supercar, won the 1000 Miglia Green as the first Swedish car to ever do so, and launched a Polestar Concept BST at the Goodwood Festival of Speed.
After an action-packed summer, followed an equally action-packed fall, as we started producing Polestar 3 in the United States in August. Swedish athletes Sarah Sjöström and Armand Duplantis each received a golden Polestar 4 to celebrate their recent successes in a particular world championship. Come end of August, we finally got to meet all our favorite customers at a track day in the south of Sweden.
In fall, Polestar 4 basked in the golden spotlight with the release of a new campaign film “Sightings.” All the behind-the-scenes insights can be found here.
On World EV day, we celebrated positive EV trends. And after that, we busted some myths. And then some more. And some more after that.
As October approached, we decided it was time for the press to take Polestar 3 for another spin. In the heart of Wyoming’s craggy landscape, a select group of journalists from North America got behind the wheel to experience an SUV that drives like a sports car. And as one journalist put it, Polestar 3 knocked it out of the park.
During COP29, Polestar’s new CEO Michael Lohscheller instilled in readers a sense of urgency to act on climate changes, urging policy makers to act on their promises, and put forth faith and collaboration as the only way forward.
Throughout the year, we’ve also released plenty of episodes detailing each step in the development of the Polestar 5 in the series From Concept to Car. All episodes are available here.
As we move closer to the year’s end, we want to thank all our customers, fans, friends, and coworkers for another highlight-studded year and for your continued support. Join our journey in 2025 as we reach for new heights.
Happy holidays from all of us here at Polestar.
