A new Polestar prototype has been spotted testing in China, possibly an early look at the Polestar 7 coupe SUV expected to debut in 2028.
The Chinese automotive blogger ‘SugarDesign’ first posted the images on Weibo, questioning, “Huh? Which Polestar is this? Polestar still has new cars coming?”
A few hours later, user ‘球墨铸铁 BX’ said that the model was internally codenamed ‘P416,’ adding that it could be a non-coupe or wagon version of the SUV Polestar 4.
“If I remember correctly, this is P416 — the non-coupe version of the Polestar 4 (P417),” the user wrote, adding that “you could call it an SUV variant (if you consider the Polestar 4 an SUV) or a wagon/estate version (if you consider the Polestar 4 a sedan).”
EV Platforms
“This is the brand’s remaining PMA1 project I mentioned before,” they concluded.
Here, the user is referring to the Pure Modular Architecture (PMA) EV platform, later restructured into the Sustainable Experience Architecture (SEA) — with SEA1 replacing PMA1 in product usage and naming.
The Polestar 4 is based on the PMA1/SEA1 platform, which it shares with vehicles from other Geely-backed brands’ models such as the Zeekr 001 and 009, the Lynk & Co Z10 and the Volvo EX30.
The recently launched Polestar 5 GT is built on the in-house developed Polestar Performance Architecture (PPA), which the brand calls a “comprehensive bonded aluminium platform including 800 V battery technology.”
The Polestar 6 will be a roadster and is likely to share its platform with the high-performance sedan.
In contrast, the Polestar 7, a compact SUV that the brand’s CEO Michael Lohscheller said will take priority over the roadster, is expected to be built on Geely’s SEA platform.
Production
Polestar, headquartered in Gothenburg, Sweden, produces most of its vehicles in China.
While the Polestar 2 is only produced in Luqiao, in the Zhejiang province, its two SUVs are also being manufactured overseas.
The Polestar 3, the company’s most expensive SUV, is manufactured in both China and the US — through Volvo’s South Carolina plant.
Since late last year, the Polestar 4 has also been manufactured at Renault Korea Motors’ Busan plant in South Korea, with the first vehicles having been shipped to Canada already.
The newest model in the lineup — the Polestar 5 — will also be produced in China, at a Geely‑operated facility in Chongqing, as stated by the brand.
Mid-last year, however, the company announced that the Polestar 7 will be produced in Europe.
Polestar will partner with Volvo Cars “to have Polestar 7 manufactured in Kosice, Slovakia, in advance of the planned launch of the premium compact SUV in 2028,” it said.
China Presence
The company has experienced significant leadership instability in China, with seven regional heads in just eight years.
Local reports late last year noted that the company was preparing to exit the Chinese market by the end of 2025, as it struggled in the highly competitive EV market.
In October, Polestar closed its last physical store in China, adopting an online sales model in the country.
Its major markets are located in Europe, such as the Sweden and the UK, where Polestar has recently announced a new iteration of its Polestar 3 SUV, introducing several upgrades on performance, charging and processing power.
Last year, Polestar delivered 60,000 vehicles globally, of which over 46,000 were registered in Europe — representing about 77% of the total.
