In December, Polestar, a Swedish electric vehicle maker, is set to launch their first smartphone, according to CEO Thomas Ingenlath. The Polestar 4 is a sports utility vehicle (SUV) coupe, and also the firm's first car to be offered in China as they expand their presence in the largest electric vehicle market in the world. This strategy is reflective of how electric vehicle makers in China are putting technology at the forefront of their services to meet the demands of the tech-savvy car buyers in the country.
Swedish electric vehicle maker Polestar is set to roll out their first car, the Polestar 4 SUV coupe, in China. Alongside the car's December deliveries will be the launch of a Polestar branded smartphone. This move highlights the appeal of high-tech features in the Chinese car market. Thomas Ingenlath, CEO of Polestar, stated that production of the Polestar 4 will start this year and will be available by the end of the year. The Polestar-branded phone is the result of a joint venture created in June between Polestar and Xingji Meizu, a Chinese phone maker owned by the Chinese auto giant Geely.
Meizu is far from being one of the major players in the Chinese smartphone market, where Apple and Oppo reign supreme. The Polestar smartphone is not meant to be the catalyst for market expansion. Rather, the unexpected launch of a phone by an electric vehicle firm reflects automakers' aim to make cars function as mobile phones on four wheels. Explaining this concept, Ingenlath declared that "when there is an occasion to combine these two domains without any boundaries, complete harmony is achievable."
You can envision a world where you use an app on your phone, and it's displayed on the car's dashboard screen. Ingenlath pointed out this is something that's still difficult to do with current technology. He added that the phone from Meizu will be a "premium" device, helping them enter the high-end mobile phone market.Interest in this concept is growing, as Chinese EV start-up Nio is set to release its own self-designed phone in September. It could be a logical move in the world's second largest economy.
No Google Android mobile operating system exists, allowing automakers to customize the OS on their phones and cars, making integration simpler. For instance, Meizu has its own OS called FlyMe, and it is creating an OS specifically for Polestar cars based on this one. Once Polestar releases its phone, it will likely run a similar OS to facilitate seamless integration.Commenting on this, Ingenlath said, "It's not enough to bring great European design to China - you must offer the market something exceptionally special when it comes to software." Neil Shah, vice president of research at Counterpoint Research, added that "many OEMs, such as Geely, and any other future automotive powerhouses, like Apple if it comes out with its own car, are offering a more comprehensive and interconnected experience in terms of mobility." OEM is an acronym for original equipment manufacturer - in other words, car manufacturers.
Shah revealed that the smartphone would enable Polestar to package together software, apps, services, and functions including the potential to remotely control or switch on the car with the phone. He further noted that releasing a phone could provide carmakers with the opportunity to garner further knowledge on their customers' habits.
The Polestar 4 is available in China for a hefty 349,800 Chinese yuan ($47,890), pricier than the baseline Tesla Model Y at 263,900 yuan. CEO Ingenlath remarked that the car is designed to be "more premium, more luxurious" than its Tesla counterpart, primarily targeting customers who had formerly chosen German carmakers BMW and Mercedes-Benz. He added that the Polestar 4 is intended to go head-on with vehicles like the Porsche Macan.
Polestar, which began in 2017 as a joint venture between Volvo Cars of Sweden and Geely, will have the advantage of Geely's ownership of Meizu in its entrance into the Chinese car and smartphone market. However, Polestar will have to contend with intense competition from firms such as Nio, Xpeng, and Tesla that are targeting the same section of the marketplace. According to Ingenlath, the Polestar 3 electric SUV will be made available in China after the deliveries of the Polestar 4, although the 3 has been subject to manufacturing delays.
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