Polestar, the electric performance carmaker partly owned by Geely, has announced plans to manufacture its upcoming Polestar 7 SUV at Volvo Cars new factory in Kosice, Slovakia, with production slated to begin in 2028 under a memorandum of understanding between the brands.
The Polestar 7 a premium compact crossover aimed at rivaling vehicles like the Range Rover Evoque—will use Volvo’s next-generation EV platform, sharing key components such as cell‑to‑body battery architecture, in‑house electric motors and mega-casting technologies with Volvo’s future models.
Volvo’s €1.2 billion, 250,000-vehicle-a-year Košice plant, scheduled to open for Volvo production in 2026 (now pushed to early 2027 by strategic timeline alignment), will be Sweden-based Polestar’s first European manufacturing site.
The move is designed to help Polestar avoid high tariffs—28.8% in Europe and more than 100% in the U.S.—on China-made EVs, better serve major markets, and reduce reliance on Chinese production.
Strategically, co‑producing Polestar 7 alongside a next-gen Volvo model at the same plant enables Geely’s brands to leverage shared infrastructure, balanced costs, and established European supplier networks.
Despite its promise, success hinges on finalizing agreements, avoiding supply-chain disruptions, and validating demand for premium compact EVs in Europe. The scheduled start in 2028 sets the stage for Polestar’s most ambitious production expansion to date.
