Volvo’s performance brand, Polestar, has reached a significant milestone this week, with the Polestar 2 now entering production.
Despite numerous setbacks, unforeseen circumstances, and the sheer logistical challenge of getting production of our first all-electric vehicle up and running, it has indeed begun.
Designing and announcing an electric car is fairly straight forward but its the transition from prototype to production that presents some of the largest challenges.
To deliver a car to customers, you need to design the machines, robots and human workflows in the factory to assemble more than 10,000 parts into a vehicle.
Then there’s the challenge of the logistics. Not only to sign the contracts and have a steady supply of the raw inputs, but also the vast array of 3rd party components. Any delay in these could cause a stop to the production line.
Finally, there’s the quality control processes and the delivery challenge of shipping vehicles to customers. It’s a massive task and when we break it down and when a number of these processes are brand new, due to the EV drivetrain, it’s even more difficult to hit timelines.
The first handovers are slated to occur in the summer of 2020.
Personally I think the Polestar 2 looks like a seriously compelling EV and one I hope makes its way to Australia, sooner rather than later.
