Polestar’s head of North America, Anders Gustafsson, said on Friday he is leaving the electric vehicle maker this week, less than a year after taking the role.
Gustafsson joined Polestar in July 2024, replacing Gregor Hembrough, who had led the brand’s North American operations since its launch in 2018.
Prior to Polestar, Gustafsson spent nearly 14 years at Volvo Cars, having originally joined in 2009 as Deputy CEO and Sales & Marketing Director for the Northern Europe region.
In a LinkedIn post, Gustafsson said he is rejoining rental car company Hertz as Executive Vice President at its global headquarters in Florida.
“After 15 fantastic years with Polestar and Volvo Cars, I’ve decided to turn the page,” he wrote. “On May 11, Gussie and I will say goodbye to Polestar. On May 12, we start a new chapter at Hertz Global HQ in Florida, where I’ll step into the role of Executive Vice President.”
Gustafsson said he was “honored to rejoin the Hertz brand,” where he had worked for 28 years.
Rick Bryant, who has served as Head of Operations for the past 14 months, will take over as President of Polestar North America.
“I’m also happy to share that my dear friend and colleague Rick Bryant will step in,” Gustafsson wrote. “With over 30 years in the industry, Rick’s experience and leadership will continue to move the brand forward with strength and integrity.”
In early April, the company quietly removed its entry-level Polestar 2 model from its U.S. website — on the same day the recently announced 25% tariffs on foreign-made cars and parts became effective.
The change occurred without a public announcement. While the Polestar 2 page has since been reinstated in the site’s navigation, the model is no longer available for new configurations or orders.
Polestar’s U.S. registrations rose slightly year over year in April, reaching 460 vehicles, up 10 units from a year earlier, according to data from Motor Intelligence. However, sales were down compared with March.
As reported earlier this Friday, the world’s largest asset manager BlackRock increased its stake in Polestar for the second consecutive quarter.
The New York-based firm held 8,626,062 shares of Polestar as of March 31, up 15.5% from the end of 2024. That represents an increase of 1,157,392 shares in the first quarter.
Polestar is expected to release its 2024 annual report on May 14. First-quarter results are also scheduled for release this month, though no specific date has been announced.
