Changing the car-buying experience is no easy task thanks to franchise laws and entrenched dealership lobby groups. Just look at Tesla and the difficulty it’s had to try to sell directly to customers. Some states outright forbid an automaker from selling directly to consumers, and that’s put Tesla in a bind. But Polestar, a Volvo performance sub-brand, will try to change that.

“Launching an entirely new car brand gives us the opportunity to assess what customers enjoy about car ownership, and what they are less keen on,” says Thomas Ingenlath, Chief Executive Officer at Polestar. “We also want to remove the hassle from traditional car ownership.”

Polestar 1 begins production testing: ⠀ Polestar 1 Begins Verification Prototype Production

That means customers can research, configure, and order cars online. If customers want to see a car before ordering, they can do so in a franchised Polestar Space. Here, customers will interact with non-commissioned product experts (not sales personnel) who will provide any information they need. These “spaces” will also offer pick-up and delivery servicing so customers won’t have to wait at a dealerships service center while their vehicle is being serviced.

Polestar is also offering a subscription service for customers, much like Care by Volvo. Here, customers can cover nearly all the associated costs of ownership through the service, including insurance, maintenance, repairs, and car payments. All customers have to pay for is gas.

Polestar has one vehicle right now – the Polestar 1. It’s a 600-plus horsepower hybrid coupe, which will enter production in mid-2019. Sadly, you can’t buy one. The first year of production is sold out with about 200 cars coming to North America. In early 2019, the company will debut its second model – Polestar 2 – which will be the company’s first full-battery electric vehicle set to compete with the Tesla Model 3.

Source: Polestar