Polestar unveils the Formula 2030 concept car, showcasing the brand’s future design direction. Formula 2030 is the first study under Chief Designer Philipp Römer, who took the role in mid-2024. As a four-door sports car, the show car is intended to emphasize that performance remains at the heart of the brand.
Since mid-2024, Philipp Römers has served as Polestar’s Head of Design. Now, the Formula 2030 concept car offers the first glimpse of an evolving visual identity. The study physically embodies the overarching Formula 2030 brand strategy.
Philipp Römers commented: “Design should always reflect the values and mission of a brand, and that is exactly what we did with the Polestar Formula 2030 concept. It physically embodies how we apply Polestar’s core values of design, performance, and sustainability to our next production cars. A bold evolution of our already well-established design DNA to strengthen the brand‘s positioning with performance at its heart.”
Eliminate and refine
In developing the concept, the design team aimed to eliminate the superfluous and refine what already existed, Polestar explains. No compromises were made. As is typical with design studies, the Formula 2030 is unlikely to represent a prototype of a future production model.
However, Polestar has announced that various design features of the Formula 2030 will appear in the next-generation Polestar 2 and the upcoming Polestar 7.
At 4.68 meters long, 2.02 meters wide, with a 2.78-meter wheelbase and a height of 1.35 meters, the Formula 2030 is flatter than the Polestar 5 GT. Its dimensions position it between the future Polestar 2 and the Polestar 7. The concept car sits on 22-inch wheels, which, while impressive, are unlikely to make it into production. Typical of modern electric vehicles, however, are the short overhangs. Its long bonnet and wide rear fenders emphasize the sporty character.
At the front, dual-blade headlights are integrated into an aerodynamic wing, offering a preview of the next-generation Polestar 2’s design, expected in 2027. The wraparound windscreen with a vertical wiper transitions directly into the side windows. Beneath a cover above the windscreen, a LiDAR unit becomes visible only when in use.
At the rear, Polestar replaces the previously continuous light strip with separate single-blade rear lights intended for future production models. The rear window connects to the flat side glazing and is interrupted by the C-pillar, which extends into the roof. The vehicle also features a centrally mounted, illuminated rear wing and a diffuser.
Nahum Escobedo, Head of Exterior Design at Polestar, said: “We wanted to evolve, while respecting the core design values we demonstrated with previous models that define the Polestar brand in such a recognizable way.”
Nitrogen color and driver-focused
Also visible on the concept car is the newly developed exterior color, Nitrogen. Designed to “react dynamically to natural light”, it features a glossy, matte, or satin finish depending on the area of the vehicle. As an accent, Polestar has also incorporated its signature “Swedish Gold” on Brembo brake calipers, valve caps, interior elements, and seatbelts.
The Polestar Formula 2030 interior concept focuses on the driver. The 20-inch HyperDIM driver display sits directly on the steering column, complemented by a 12.2-inch central display in the slightly rising center console. A horizontal, indirectly lit console runs through the entire interior. For control, the center console below the main screen offers eight freely assignable physical switches and rotary knobs.
The four individual seats feature adjustable air cushions for lateral and longitudinal support. A slider in the center console allows the selection of Performance, Normal, and Autonomous modes, which ergonomically adjust the seat, steering wheel, and central display: in Autonomous mode, the distance between the seat and steering wheel increases with the display upright; in Performance mode, the steering wheel and driver display move closer to the driver, while the central display is flush and lowered.
Sustainable
“With the Formula 2030 concept, we’re reducing the unnecessary, distilling the experience to its very essence and enhancing the elements that truly matter to set the tonality and ambition for future Polestar interiors,” explained Juan Pablo Bernal, Head of Interior Design at Polestar.
“As a performance brand, we see a renewed focus on the driver, and so we rebalance the digital and physical. We introduce physical buttons and controls, and we believe we have achieved a tactile harmony suited for our premium positioning,” he added.
Sustainability is also a focus of the study. Components such as the door panels are made from single-material constructions, making them fully recyclable, while visible structural components like seat frames and crossmembers are made from low-emission recycled steel produced using renewable energy. Instead of conventional plastics for the seat backs, a bio-based composite material made from European flax and polypropylene by Bcomp is used.
No Q3 results
Meanwhile, Polestar has postponed publishing its Q3 results indefinitely. Postponing financial results seldom means good news. Polestar already recorded a meager first half of the year, partly because the U.S. government will forbid Polestar from selling in the U.S. because of the Chinese software it uses. That’s no surprise, of course, since it’s owned by the Chinese car holding Geely and shares technology with other brands in the group.
Nevertheless, Polestar’s main problem is a lack of growth. Polestar needs a really popular model, and perhaps that will be the Polestar 7, but that model is not expected before 2028. It remains to be seen how long the parent holding company and Polestar shareholder Volvo are prepared to stay supporting the brand. We’ll come back to this when commenting on the three Polestar models we’ve recently been driving.
