A closer look at the Polestar 3 and 6 at the new South Coast Plaza ‘Space’
Polestar opened a new “Polestar Space” in South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa, CA this week, and we stopped by to have a look at the upcoming Polestar 3 SUV and Polestar Roadster concept, which will become the Polestar 6.
South Coast Plaza is an upscale mall in an upscale area, so it’s not a terrible place to find customers looking for the hot new thing (when one random customer learned the 3 would cost over $80k, he responded “oh, that’s not bad”). Especially with its since it’s in California, which leads the nation in EV sales, and Orange County, which is one of the hottest EV markets in the state.
Both upcoming cars were on site for the Space’s grand opening ceremony on Thursday. Unfortunately we were not able to sit in the Roadster concept, but we got a chance to have a little time inside the Polestar 3.
But the cars are on the move, and only there for a short time – the 3 has already moved along, and the Roadster is only there until the end of Saturday. Since both are prototypes, they’ll be traveling around the country for various appearances. Keep an eye on Polestar’s events page if you want to find a place to check them out.
The Polestar 3 does maintain a similar shape and dimensions to other popular SUVs these days (it’s a few inches longer than the Model Y, but the same width and height). But as is common in electric SUVs, it feels more spacious on the inside than it would seem from the outside.
EVs have simpler packaging constraints than in gas-powered vehicles, because smaller motors take up less space. This can result in more interior space, and the Polestar 3 is certainly roomy on the inside.
At 6 feet tall, I fit with plenty of room in the back seat with the front seat pushed all the way back – and which was occupied at the time by a 6’4 passenger who was also plenty comfortable. Headroom and legroom are extensive throughout the car.
And it feels even more open with the massive glass roof which runs all the way to the back of the car with no crossbar.
The ventilated leather seats were comfortable and slick, but we only had a few minutes in a stationary car. The car will have a massage function, but we didn’t get to activate it yet. Interior options include leather (sourced in Scotland with animal welfare standards in mind, and by-products of the meat industry… an industry which is not sustainable), vinyl/polyester synthetic vegan interior, and, in a relatively new turn for the auto industry: wool. The wool sounds pretty cool, to me.
The interface is similar to that of the Polestar 2. While we didn’t do anything complex or dig very deep into it, it felt snappy in response to touch inputs. While many drivers consider touch inputs inferior to physical controls, one important part about touchscreens is that they at least respond without lag, and in our limited testing tapping around through the menus, the Polestar 3’s Google-powered interface felt good enough in that respect. Once again, the only companies getting touch interfaces right are EV startups, while the rest of the industry is outsourcing all of their infotainment to the owners’ phones.
We got a look under the hood as well, at the frunk space. It wasn’t particularly large – larger than the frunks in Kia/Hyundai/Genesis EV SUVs, but smaller than that in the Tesla Model Y. It would probably be a good place to store spare charging cables or other tools that stay in the car long-term, though there will also be rear under-floor storage in the trunk which would be useful for the same. We didn’t get to see the underfloor trunk storage on the prototype.
Both the front and rear of the car have small “wing”-like design features intended to maintain the profile of the car while increasing aerodynamic efficiency – similar to the R-Wing at the front of the Dodge Banshee concept.
These wings change the angle at which the car cuts through the air, reduce the total flat space at the front and rear of the vehicle, and channel air more smoothly along the top surfaces of the car (called “attached flow”). This all makes the car more aerodynamic by reducing the amount of disturbed air flowing off of the vehicle, while also adding some downforce by channeling air downward at the rear.
Under that front “wing” is Polestar’s sensor suite which it calls the “SmartZone”. An additional option is available which adds a LiDAR bump to the top of the car, which will enhance the car’s sensing abilities (and processing, through addition of an NVIDIA DRIVE Orin chip).
The Polestar Roadster concept is another thing entirely. While the 3 is coming out at the end of this year, the Roadster is still a concept, though slated to go into production as the Polestar 6. So things will likely change before it hits the road.
Since it’s so far out, it was a look-only, no-touch affair. So we’ll keep this part a bit shorter.
Polestar was showing the convertible in topless mode. The final vehicle will have a retractible convertible top. Retractible tops can add weight and complexity and reduce chassis rigidity, but Polestar says that its bonded aluminum chassis increases rigidity so much that this shouldn’t be an issue.
It recently opened an office in Coventry, UK, right in the middle of England’s “Motorsport Valley” where several Formula 1 teams are headquartered, to help develop the various performance aspects of the 6. Polestar says the 6 will have 884hp and 0-60 in about 3 seconds, and is going after Porsche in driving dynamics.
Polestar wants the 6 to emphasize its motorsport heritage, and to bring some performance DNA to the brand. It’s also one of the first cars the company will build on its own platform – the Polestar 2 and 3 are on platforms shared with Volvo, the 4 will be on a platform shared with Geely, and the 5 and 6 will finally branch out to Polestar’s own. This is where the aforementioned bonded aluminum chassis comes into play.
The Polestar 3 starts shipping in the US at the end of this year with a starting price of $84k, and the US-built version with optional LiDAR will hit the road in the middle of 2024. The Polestar 6 is slated for 2026 deliveries and we don’t yet have a price for the standard model, though an “LA Concept” special edition sold out the first 500 launch models in a week, with a $25k deposit and an expected price of $200k. So you can probably expect the base model’s price to have 6 numbers in it, rather than 5.
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After launching a wave of new electric SUVs, sedans, crossovers, and vans, Kia is about to hit a big milestone. Kia’s EV series is expected to cross over 500,000 in cumulative global sales this month.
After Hyundai hit the half-million mark with its IONIQ series in January, it looks like Kia is right behind it. It’s been five years since Kia launched its first dedicated EV, the EV6, but the growth is expected to quickly pick up from here.
Kia set a new record, selling over 1.5 million vehicles globally in the first half of 2025. The Korean automaker credited the growth to the arrival of new models, including the EV3.
The EV3, Kia’s compact electric SUV, is already the sixth-best-selling EV in Europe through June, having arrived late last year. With over 35,000 units sold, the EV3 trails only the Tesla Model Y and Model 3, as well as Volkswagen’s ID.4, ID.7, and ID.3.
According to local reports, Kia is expected to cross 500,000 in cumulative global EV sales this month. With 485,055 EVs sold so far, the company is about to join the half-million club.
Kia’s EV sales are expected to top 500,000 this month
Kia’s EV sales have been climbing in recent years from 29,482 in 2021, to 83,411 in 2022, 131,242 in 2023, and 124,835 last year. This year, Kia has already sold over 116,000 EVs, but with new models rolling out, it could see even higher numbers.
The EV6 is Kia’s top-selling EV with 282,639 cumulative sales, followed by the EV3 (101,162), EV9 (79,312), and EV5 (18,621).
Kia launched several new EVs, including the EV4, EV5, and PV5, that are expected to drive even more demand over the next few months. The EV4 is Kia’s first electric sedan. In Europe, it’s also sold as an electric hatchback.
Meanwhile, the PV5 is the first from Kia’s new PBV electric van business. During its PV5 Tech Day event this week, Kia revealed plans for seven new body types based on the electric van, from camper to pickup.
Kia has already opened orders for the EV4 (sedan and hatchback) and PV5 in the UK. They will be rolling out in Europe later this year. Although the hatch isn’t expected to make the trip overseas, Kia is launching the EV4 sedan in the US in early 2026.
Following the EV4 and EV5 this year, Kia will introduce the EV2 in Europe and other global markets in 2026. The EV2 is Kia’s new compact, entry-level electric SUV.
Source: ChosunBiz, Kia
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Solid-state battery developer QuantumScape has posted its quarterly fiscal report and letter to shareholders for Q2 2025. QuantumScape’s progress update includes an expanded agreement with Volkswagen Group’s battery business, PowerCo, and a new joint development agreement with an additional OEM.
As far as quarterly updates go, I personally look forward to the letter to shareholders from QuantumScape ($QS) four times a year. The solid-state battery developer continues to improve its technology and production techniques, pushing closer than ever to delivering mass-produced energy-dense cells to market.
Last month, QuantumScape reported that its proprietary Cobra solid-state separator process had been fully integrated into its baseline production processes, achieving a 2025 goal while enabling gigawatt-level solid-state cell production.
QS said the Cobra breakthrough is expected to lay the groundwork for higher-volume B1 sample production of its flagship QSE-5 cells, which will eventually lead to scaled production for the battery market.
Furthermore, the technology supports QuantumScape’s licensing model with PowerCo, a division of Volkswagen Group, which was announced a little over a year ago. As part of its Q2 2025 report, QuantumScape shared details of an expanded deal with PowerCo among several other exciting updates.
Partnerships, Volkswagen AG; Dennis Segers, QS Board Chairman; Jupp Kaufer, VP of Product Management and Corporate Quality, PowerCo / Source: QuantumScape
QuantumScape ended Q2 2025 with runway through 2029
All details outlined below are available in QuantumScape’s Q2 2025 Letter to Shareholders. Per the company, its capital expenditures were $8.3 million in Q2, primarily spend on facilities and equipment purchases to
prepare for higher-volume QSE-5 B1 sample production using the Cobra separator process mentioned above.
GAAP operating expenses and GAAP net loss in Q2 were $123.6 million and $114.7 million, respectively. Adjusted EBITDA loss was $63 million in Q2 (in line with expectations). Per the letter:
We continue to streamline operations consistent with the company’s capital-light licensing focus and capture gains from cost reduction initiatives and process improvement, including the Cobra process. We narrow the range of our full-year guidance for Adjusted EBITDA loss to $250M – $270M. We ended Q2 with $797.5M in liquidity and extend our guidance for cash runway into 2029, a six month improvement over our previous guidance. Any additional funds from other customer inflows or capital markets activity would further extend this cash runway.
As hinted above, QuantumScape’s Q2 2025 update also included news of an expanded deal with PowerCo, which entails the latter company contributing an additional $131 million to the former over the next two years. That amount will come in addition to the original $130 million committed by Volkswagen Group’s battery arm if and when QS delivers “satisfactory technical progress and execution of the full licensing agreement.”
In exchange for the additional funding, QuantumScape will prioritize QSE-5 cells manufactured on its San Jose pilot line to support its joint development agreement with PowerCo. That said, QS still maintains a non-exclusive arrangement and has the right to provide cells to our other customers.
Speaking of which!
QuantumScape’s Q2 2025 report also includes news of an additional joint development agreement (JDA) with “another major global automotive OEM.” Although QS did not name the OEM, it did say the JDA builds off an existing relationship, as the client was a solid-state sample customer. Unfortunately, QS keeps that client list close to its chest, so we’d rather not speculate on who the new joint development partner could be, but it’s exciting news nonetheless.
Looking ahead beyond Q2, QuantumScape is set on its second goal for 2025 – installing higher-volume cell production equipment to support scaled solid-state cell production. From there, QS is looking to ship more samples of its prototype cells and has shared a more concrete timeline for actual field testing. Per the letter:
We are working closely with our launch customer, and in Q2 we shipped QSE-5 cells for pack integration and testing, including safety testing. These cells were the final Raptor-based B0 samples to be shipped; future shipments will be Cobra-based B1 samples, in line with our third annual goal. This launch program is designed to be a low-volume, high-visibility project that will allow us to put our cells into a real-world vehicle application and generate customer feedback. We continue to target 2026 for the beginning of field testing.
That’s all for now. Be sure to check back with Electrek soon for the latest solid-state battery and other electric mobility news.
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The “holy grail” of electric vehicle battery tech may be here sooner than you’d think. Mercedes-Benz is testing EVs with solid-state batteries on the road, promising to deliver over 600 miles of range. Here’s when you can expect to see it hit the market.
Mercedes moves to launch EVs with solid-state batteries
Earlier this year, Mercedes marked a massive milestone, putting “the first car powered by a lithium-metal solid-state battery on the road” for testing. Mercedes has been testing prototypes in the UK since February.
The company used a modified EQS prototype, equipped with the new batteries and other parts. The battery pack was developed by Mercedes-Benz and its Formula 1 supplier unit, Mercedes AMG High-Performance Powertrains (HPP)
Mercedes is teaming up with US-based Factorial Energy to bring the new battery tech to market. In September, Factorial and Mercedes revealed the all-solid-state Solstice battery.
The new batteries, promising a 25% range improvement, will power the German automaker’s next-generation electric vehicles.
According to Markus Schäfer, the automaker’s head of development, the first Mercedes EVs powered by solid-state batteries could be here by 2030.
During an event in Copenhagen, Schäfer told German auto news outlet Automobilwoche, “We expect to bring the technology into series production before the end of the year.”
In addition to providing a longer driving range, Mercedes believes the new batteries can significantly reduce costs. Schäfer said current batteries won’t suffice, adding, “At the core, a new chemistry is needed.” Mercedes and Factorial are using a sulfide-based solid electrolyte, said to be safer and more efficient.
Mercedes claims the new battery can extend driving range by around 25%. With the Mercedes EQS 450+ rated with a WTLP range of 511 miles, that would suggest over 620 miles of range.
Factorial is collaborating with other leading OEMs, including Hyundai and Stellantis, to introduce solid-state EV batteries to the market by 2030.
Several others, including Volkswagen, BMW, Toyota, Nissan, and Honda, are all advancing the promising new batteries. And don’t forget BYD and CATL, which are already dominating global sales, are also quickly advancing new EV batteries, including solid-state.
Earlier this week, MG’s brand manager, Chen Cui, claimed that the new MG4 will be the first mass-market EV sold globally with semi-solid-state batteries.
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