Was Polestar caught off guard by the decision of the Department of Commerce's Bureau of Industry and Security to ban the sale of its vehicles in the United States starting with the 2027 model year? I don't know, because the sources I contacted at both Polestar and the BIS have not yet responded to my questions about the situation.
Still, I suspect that the Geely-owned brand, which is based in China, fully expected the federal government to grant it a waiver from the Connected Vehicle Rule that ultimately led to Polestar's sudden departure from the U.S. market. Or at least I want to believe this is the case. Because if brand leadership foresaw things playing out this way, then their decision back in March to consolidate global production of the Polestar 3 to the Volvo Cars factory in South Carolina looks incredibly boneheaded.
It's why I must assume the ban came as a great surprise to Polestar. Because short of the brand employing its own Bialystock and Bloom, I cannot imagine any automotive leader approving a manufacturing move destined to flop. So, I think there's a reasonable chance the Polestar 3 will ultimately die in name only, with the model taking on a second life as a Volvo product in the U.S. Of course, Volvo declined to comment on such speculation. I imagine Polestar will too, if or when I receive a response from the brand.
Credit the fact that the feds granted Volvo, which Geely also owns, a waiver to continue to sell its vehicles in the U.S., one of which is the electric EX90 that's built at the same South Carolina facility as the 3 and shares key hardware and software components with its Polestar kin. In theory, then, Volvo can slap its badge on the vehicle sold globally as the Polestar 3 to ensure its own American factory runs closer to capacity while also helping its sister brand avoid the financial pitfall of once again consolidating global production of the model elsewhere.
Since I've yet to receive an explanation for Polestar's failure to secure a waiver for the Connected Vehicle waiver, I have no idea if such a scheme is possible in practice. Given the software the 3 shares with the EX90 it's built alongside is apparently not enough of a security threat to ban Volvo from our shores, then it seems the issue the government has with Polestar has less to do with this particular product and more to do with the brand's stand-alone vehicles. Those like the Korean-built 4 that employs a different software stack than its 3 stablemate and EX90 cousin.
Assuming this is the case and the Polestar 3 gets another chance at life in the U.S. under the Volvo umbrella, then the model will likely arrive for the 2028 model year. Save for the removal of Polestar badging and a distinct plastic surround framing the front camera, this so-called Volvo P3 will share just about everything else with the Polestar-badged 3s sent elsewhere as a way to keep costs down and account for the quick turnaround required by the seemingly sudden death of Polestar in the U.S.
Admittedly, all of this is speculation on my part, and it's equally as likely the Polestar 3 never finds a home in the American Volvo lineup. In that scenario, however, it seems inevitable that Polestar will eventually move 3 production out of South Carolina. For the sake of the jobs of those who work at the Volvo Cars factory in Ridgeville, as well as for consumers' ability to have more choice in the new-vehicle market, I can't help but hope my speculation becomes a reality.
Despite their shared last name, Greg Fink is not related to Ed "Big Daddy" Roth's infamous Rat Fink. Both Finks, however, are known for their love of cars, car culture, and—strangely—monogrammed one-piece bathing suits. Greg's career in the media industry goes back more than a decade. His previous experience includes stints as an editor at publications such as U.S. News & World Report, The Huffington Post, Motor1.com, and MotorTrend.
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