Polestar Reports Record Sales Amid Impending U.S. Market Ban
Polestar achieved record nine-month retail sales of 44,790 cars while pivoting production to Europe to offset a U.S. ban on new China-linked vehicles.
The electric vehicle manufacturer Polestar reported record retail sales for the first nine months of 2026, totaling an estimated 44,790 cars, a 0.6% increase over the previous year. The company achieved its strongest third quarter to date with 14,371 units sold, representing a 1% year-on-year increase. CEO Michael Lohscheller attributed these results to the introduction of the Polestar 4 SUV and the start of Polestar 5 customer deliveries.
Despite the global growth, retail volumes excluding the United States declined by 8% in the third quarter. The surge in the American market, where sales more than doubled to 2,160 vehicles, was driven by deep discounts to clear inventory. This follows a decision by the United States Department of Commerce to bar China-linked automakers from selling new cars starting with model year 2027 due to rules regarding connected-vehicle and driver-assistance technology.
To mitigate the loss of the U.S. market, Polestar is diversifying its manufacturing footprint. The company plans to produce the upcoming Polestar 7 compact SUV in Slovakia at a Volvo factory and will ship a new version of the Polestar 4 SUV from South Korea in the fourth quarter. Polestar, which is majority-owned by Geely Holding, will continue to sell existing Polestar 3 and 4 inventory and maintain its U.S. service network.
