Polestar Chooses Montreal for its First North American Store

Polestar, the former Volvo performance division now operating as a standalone brand specialized in electric vehicles, has just announced that its first “Polestar Space” in the Americas will be located in Montreal.

This is the result of a partnership with Groupe Park Avenue, which already owns nearly 20 dealerships across Quebec, mainly premium brands.

The exact location has not been determined yet, but Polestar Montreal will open in 2020, followed by Toronto and Vancouver in Canada, as well as a strategically placed network of retailers south of the border.

Photo: Polestar

When you think about the popularity of electric vehicles in Quebec versus other Canadian provinces and U.S. states, Polestar’s decision is easy to understand.

"Groupe Park Avenue is extremely proud to partner with Polestar,” said President and CEO Norman Hébert. We believe that after more than 60 years in business, this addition to our brand portfolio will excite our customers and help accelerate the shift towards electrification."

A marketing campaign began this past week at Complexe Desjardins.

Polestar Spaces will be found in high-traffic downtown locations with room for two or three vehicles. There will be two or three demonstrators on hand nearby and a few no-commission product specialists to answer questions from customers.

Photo: Polestar

Polestar’s business model is based on a monthly subscription for 24 or 36 months with an all-inclusive fee covering vehicle usage, maintenance and repairs, as well as insurance and access to on-demand services.

So far, the company has shown the Polestar 1, a 600-horsepower hybrid sports car, and the Polestar 2, a fully electric five-door sedan with 400 horsepower and up to 500 kilometres of range that will directly take on the Tesla Model 3.

In related news, we’ve also learned that Quebec native Hugues Bissonnette, 45, has been named Country Manager for Polestar in Canada after working for many years at Volvo both here and in Europe.

“It is a privilege to lead a business in the fast growing electric vehicle market,” Bissonnette said. “I’m looking forward to implementing a new and unique brand, and the ability to do it at home in Canada is a dream come true. With an experienced team supporting me it is exciting to be at the beginning of the Polestar journey, designing products and services that will meet the highest demands of our unique clientele.”

Share on Facebook

More on the subject

GenevaPolestar: Meet the Hot New Swedish Brand
Nearly two years ago, Volvo announced that its high-performance division, Polestar, would become a standalone brand offering a full lineup of electrified vehicles while continuing to infuse sportier Volvo models with its unique technological know-how . Last year at the Geneva Auto Show, a first concept known as Polestar 1 …
New ModelsPolestar: A New Business Model
SHANGHAI, China – At the world premiere of the Polestar 1 in Shanghai, there was a lot of talk about the brand’s business model, as Polestar intends to become a digital car company and bring their cars to market using an all-inclusive, subscription-based service. Accordingly, the customer will not buy …
First DrivesPolestar 1: A New 600-horsepower Performance Hybrid
SHANGHAI, China – Polestar 1. That is the name of the new 600-horsepower performance hybrid created by Polestar, the Volvo Group’s performance brand. Built in part on Volvo’s Scalable Product Architecture and featuring a carbon fibre body, Polestar 1 is a 2+2 grand touring coupé outfitted with an electric performance …
First DrivesPolestar 1: A Plug-in Hybrid Shooting Star
SAN FRANCISCO, California— Some engineers and designers must have erupted with joy when they were asked to develop Polestar’s first vehicle as a standalone brand, operating under the stewarding of Volvo and China’s Geely. They would have generous resources at their disposal, not to mention the creative freedom to do …
ElectricPolestar 2 Enters Production in China
While automakers in North America have suspended their vehicle manufacturing operations and some are switching to face masks and ventilators to help medical staff and patients dealing with the coronavirus, we’ve learned that the Polestar 2 , the first fully electric vehicle created by Volvo’s new performance brand, has officially …
Hybrid/Plug-in HybridPolestar 2 Canadian Pricing is Finally Announced
Swedish electric car maker Polestar has just unveiled Canadian pricing for the highly anticipated Polestar 2, its most affordable and all-electric model. The car will start at $69,900, which is actually cheaper than in the U.S. ($59,900) given the current exchange rates. “We are proud to offer a premium electric …
First Drives2021 Polestar 2: Is 2 Better Than 3?
The all-new Polestar 2 is the first serious threat to the Tesla Model 3 and it will land in Canada later this fall. This car has pretty much all the ingredients to win over customers who are thinking about making the jump to an electric vehicle. What is Polestar , …
ElectricPolestar 2’s Official Range Might Disappoint a Few
Did you catch our first-drive review of the 2021 Polestar 2 ? It paints a detailed picture of the new Tesla Model 3 fighter and the heated battle we should expect between those two. Of course, when talking about electric cars, the topic of range often dominates the discussion. And …