Polestar enters the electric vehicle and smartphone market in China
Swedish electric car manufacturer Polestar plans to launch a smartphone with the Polestar 4, the first SUV model it will launch in China in December.
Polestar CEO Thomas Ingenlath said the company will begin production of the Polestar 4 for the Chinese market this year and deliveries will be made later this year. In addition, Polestar will take the unusual step of launching a smartphone bearing the brand's name.
This step will be realized thanks to the joint venture established in June between Polestar and smartphone maker Meizu, owned by Chinese auto giant Geely.
Polestar does not expect its smartphone to break sales records or gain significant market share. Although Meizu is a well-known brand in China, it is not a big player. Therefore, we can say that this move is due to the desire of automobile manufacturers to make the car like a “mobile phone with wheels”.
The Polestar CEO sees it as a combination of two worlds. For example, imagine you are using an app on your phone and the same app is displayed on the car dashboard screen when you enter the car. It will probably also be possible to use the phone as a key.
Ingenlath added that the phone will be a “premium” device. However, for now there is no information about the design or hardware of the phone.
While it's still unusual for car companies to launch phones, the idea is gaining traction. Chinese electric vehicle start-up Nio plans to launch its first self-developed mobile phone this month.
The smartphone that Polestar will launch is likely to have a similar operating system that will make the integration seamless. In addition, it is not enough to just bring a powerfully designed and performance vehicle to China. The Chinese market demands highly sensitive and comprehensive features in software.
