Despite mounting financial headwinds and a forced exit from the U.S. market, Polestar is pushing forward with work on development of its next generation of electric vehicles. The Swedish-born, Chinese-backed brand today unveiled the Formula 2030 concept, a design manifesto that previews the styling direction for the next-generation Polestar 2, arriving in 2027, as well as the new Polestar 7 compact SUV scheduled for 2028.
Revealed behind closed doors to investors at the automaker’s Gothenburg headquarters in Sweden, the concept represents the first major project under new Head of Design Philipp Römers, who joined from Audi. Rather than a radical reinvention, Römers describes the concept as a “bold evolution, not revolution,” intended to refine Polestar’s established aesthetic while keeping its product pipeline on track toward profitability.
A certain Volvo-ishness
The Formula 2030 maintains Polestar’s signature low, long-roof fastback silhouette and clean surfaces, but its front end adopts sharper, more muscular hood lines. An aerodynamic blade spans the grille-less nose to generate downforce over the front axle, while a single vertical windshield wiper adds a dramatic, though likely conceptual, touch.
Most notably, the headlights feature an expanded, bolder iteration of the brand's "Dual Blade" lighting signature. Derived from Volvo’s iconic "Thor’s Hammer" design, the stacked boomerang shapes appear taller and wider on the new concept. Combined with shared platforms and Geely ownership, the design language subtly blurs the distinction between Polestar and its former parent company.
Navigating geopolitical and financial storms
The preview of the Formula 2030 arrives as Polestar faces severe market disruption. Most dramatically, Polestar has been barred from selling 2027 model-year vehicles and beyond in the U.S., due to a Commerce Department rule targeting Chinese-connected vehicle software. The company has thus been forced to exit the American market, which has led it to reduce its 2026 growth targets.
So it is that, despite delivering a record 30,423 vehicles in the first half of 2026, Polestar posted a net loss of $842 million.
Supported by parent company Geely, Polestar is now placing its future growth squarely on the European market. The Formula 2030 concept, which will make its public debut by the end of the year alongside the media launch of the Polestar 4 SUV, serves as a visual pledge that the automaker’s transition to new entry-level models remains on course.
