Polestar (PSNY) loses its CEO at a pivotal point as two new electric SUVs hit the market
Polestar (PSNY) just got a new CEO. Thomas Ingenlath is out, and Michael Lohscheller is taking the helm as the Swedish EV brand enters its next growth stage. With two new electric SUVs hitting the market, how will Polestar navigate the transition?
“I am very proud of what we’ve achieved together in the last seven years,” Ingenlath wrote Wednesday.
After turning its vision of becoming an electric premium brand with performance and design at its core, Polestar’s former leader declared, “The dream became reality.”
Meanwhile, Ingenlath is leaving the company at a critical point. Many automakers have slowed EV investments, citing “slower-than-expected” demand just as Polestar launches two new electric SUVs.
Polestar launched its first all-electric vehicle, the Polestar 2, in 2020. This year, two new EVs are joining the lineup.
The company delivered the first Polestar 4 models in Europe earlier this month, and North America and Australia will follow by the end of the year. Polestar’s new premium electric SUV coupe arrives in Europe less than two months after the Polestar 3.
Both electric SUVs are expected to compete with top-selling premium models like the new Porsche Macan EV, Tesla Model Y, and BMW iX3.
“With three models, Polestar is positioning itself as the design-led premium luxury electric car brand in the global EV market,” Ingenlath said earlier this month.
Michael Lohscheller takes over as CEO of Polestar
Polestar replaced Ingenlath with Michael Lohscheller, former CEO of Stellantis-owned Opel, Vietnam EV startup VinFast (VFS), and Nikola (NKLA). The change is effective October 1, 2024.
Lohscheller said he’s honored to join the Swedish EV brand at a critical point in the company’s history.
“Polestar has already established itself as one of the most desirable and innovative brands in the electric vehicle space, and I look forward to working with the talented team to build on this strong foundation and accelerate our development,” he wrote.
Winfried Vahland, Polestar’s incoming Chairman, explained, “Michael Lohscheller is the ideal leader to guide Polestar into its next chapter.”
Vahland added that Polestar (and Volvo) owner Geely is still “deeply committed” to the EV maker’s success.
Like in Europe, the Polestar 4 will be available in Single and Dual Motor setups in the US. It will start at $56,300 with up to 300 miles range.
| Polestar 3 and 4 electric SUV by trim in the US | Starting Price | Range (expected EPA-est) |
| Polestar 4 Long Range Single Motor | $56,300 | 300 miles |
| Polestar 4 Long Range Dual Motor | $64,300 | 270 miles |
| Polestar 4 Long Range Dual Motor model (with Plus and Performance packs) | $74,300 | 270 miles |
| Polestar 3 Long Range Dual Motor with Pilot Pack | $74,800 | 315 miles |
| Polestar 3 Long Range Dual Motor with Pilot Pack and Plus Pack | $80,300 | 315 miles |
| Polestar 3 Long Range Dual Motor with Pilot and Performance Pack | $80,800 | 279 miles |
| Polestar 3 Long Range Dual Motor with Pilot, Plus, and Performance Pack | $86,300 | 279 miles |
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After building its first Polestar 3 model in South Carolina earlier this month, the EV maker expects to expand in key auto markets like the US, Europe, and South Korea. The Polestar 3 starts at $73,400 in the US with up to 315 miles range.
Polestar’s stock is down over 14% following the news on Wednesday. Polestar share prices are now down over 55% in 2024 and 74% over the past year.
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Environment
Baidu- and Geely-backed JiYue brand unveils ROBO X EV that goes 0-100 km/h in under 1.9 sec
JiYue, a Chinese EV brand focused on delivering all-electric “robocars” to the masses, has unveiled its latest model, and it’s quite a deviation from its previous EVs—but in the best way. Earlier today, JiYue launched the ROBO X supercar, designed for high-speed racing. By high speed, we mean 0-100 km/h acceleration in under 1.9 seconds. My mouth is watering.
JiYue has only existed since 2021, when parent tech company Baidu announced it was expanding from software development into physical EV production, joining forces with multinational automotive manufacturer Geely.
The new “robotic EV” marque initially launched as JIDU with $300 million in startup capital before garnering an additional $400 million in Series A funding, led by Baidu, in January 2022.
In August 2023, Geely took on a larger role in JIDU alongside a greater financial stake as the brand reimagined itself as JiYue, inheriting the JIDU logo and its flagship model, the 01 ROBOCAR.
In December 2023, Baidu and Geely unveiled a second model called the JiYue 07. It was born from JIDU’s ROBO-02 concept, which debuted in 2023 and was designed to compete against the Tesla Model 3 in China.
The 07 finally launched in China earlier this year with 545 miles of range. With an all-electric SUV and sedan on the market, JiYue has unveiled an exciting new entry in the form of a performance supercar called the ROBO X. Check it out:
JiYue’s new ROBO X EV is available for pre-order now
JiYue showcased its new ROBO X hypercar in front of the crowd at the 2024 Guangzhou Auto Show earlier today. Similar to previous models but with a unique spin, JiYue described the ROBO X as an AI smart-driving supercar that, for the first time, blends artificial intelligence and autonomous driving into a high-performance, race-ready EV.
When we say “high performance,” we mean a quad motor liquid-cooled drive system that can propel the ROBO X from 0 to 100 km/h (0 to 62 mph) in under 1.9 seconds. JiYue called the new ROBO X a “performance beast” with “the perfect balance of excellent aerodynamic performance and high downforce.” JiYue CEO Joe Xia was even bolder in his statements about the ROBO X:
For the next 20 years, the design of supercars will bear the shadow of Robo X. This is the best design in the history of Chinese automobiles today, and it is a landmark presence.
Fighter-style airflow ducts bolster the EV’s aerodynamics, efficiency, and overall posture. Per JiYue, the two-seater ROBO X is expected to deliver a maximum range of over 650 km (404 miles).
The new supercar features falcon-wing doors, a carbon fiber integrated frame, and a professional racing HALO safety system offering 360° of support. The interior features an AI smart cockpit with SIMO real-time feedback to give drivers an immersive racing experience.
Furthermore, JiYue said the vehicle will utilize parent company Baidu’s Apollo self-driving technology, which could make it the first electric supercar to apply pure-vision ADAS technology that enables track-level autonomous driving.
Following today’s unveiling of the ROBO X, JiYue has officially opened up pre-orders in China for RMB 49,999 ($6,915). That said, reservation holders will need to be patient as JiYue shared that it doesn’t expect to begin mass production of the ROBO X until 2027.
What do you think? Will people be talking about the ROBO X for the next 20 years?
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This week on Electrek’s Wheel-E podcast, we discuss the most popular news stories from the world of electric bikes and other nontraditional electric vehicles. This time, that includes the launch of the Lectric XPedition 2.0, Yamaha e-bikes pulling out of North America, LiveWire unveils an electric scooter concept, PNY readying its cargo e-scooters for pilot testing, Royal Enfield’s first electric motorcycle, and more.
The Wheel-E podcast returns every two weeks on Electrek’s YouTube channel, Facebook, Linkedin, and Twitter.
As a reminder, we’ll have an accompanying post, like this one, on the site with an embedded link to the live stream. Head to the YouTube channel to get your questions and comments in.
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Here are a few of the articles that we will discuss during the Wheel-E podcast today:
Here’s the live stream for today’s episode starting at 9:30 a.m. ET (or the video after 10:30 a.m. ET):
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Crude oil futures were on pace Friday for loss for the week, as a supply gut and a strong dollar depresses the market.
U.S. crude oil is down more than 2% this week, while Brent has shed nearly 2%.
Here are Friday’s energy prices:
- West Texas Intermediate December contract: $68.56 per barrel, down 14 cents, or 0.2%. Year to date, U.S. crude oil has shed about 4%.
- Brent January contract: $72.36 per barrel, down 20 cents, or 0.28%. Year to date, the global benchmark has lost nearly 6%.
- RBOB Gasoline December contract: $1.99 per gallon, up 0.46%. Year to date, gasoline has fallen more than 1%.
- Natural Gas December contract: $2.70 per thousand cubic feet, down 2.98%. Year to date, gas has gained more than 4%.
The International Energy Agency has forecast a surplus of more than 1 million barrels per day in 2025 on robust production in the U.S. OPEC revised down its demand forecast for the fourth consecutive month as demand in China remains soft.
A strong dollar also hangs over the market, as the greenback has surged in the wake of President-elect Donald Trump’s election victory.
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