Polestar leverages parent Volvo’s experience to deliver a smartly-designed electric car.

Polestar is a new brand, but it may seem familiar. That’s because Polestar is a spinoff of Volvo, using the Swedish automaker’s vehicle platforms, safety technology, and styling, with a name borrowed from Volvo’s one-time performance and racing division.

Polestar distinguishes itself from Volvo by focusing on green cars. Its first model was the Polestar 1 plug-in hybrid, but that limited-production coupe was more of a warm-up act. The all-electric 2021 Polestar 2 is the brand’s first mass-market model, and it's a logical rival to the all-conquering Tesla Model 3.

New brands from established automakers don’t have a great track record (see: Saturn, Scion), but Volvo felt the rise of electric cars demanded a different approach. For now, though, the 2021 Polestar 2 looks and feels very much like a Volvo with a different badge and a different powertrain. That’s not a bad thing, though.