Key facts
- Founded
- 2017
- Founded by
- Volvo Cars, Geely Holding
- Country
- Sweden
- Headquarters
- Gothenburg, Sweden
- Parent company
- Geely Holding Group
- Legal name
- Polestar Automotive Holding UK PLC
- Famous models
- 1, 2, 3, 4
- Website
- www.polestar.com
Polestar Brand History
Polestar originated as a Swedish motorsport and performance tuning brand before transforming into a standalone electric vehicle manufacturer. The company was founded in 1996 as Flash Engineering, a racing team. It was renamed in 2005 as Polestar Racing with a Polestar Performance tuning division. Volvo acquired Polestar Performance in July 2015. In 2017 Polestar became a standalone EV brand jointly with Geely Holding. The main theme throughout its development has been the transition from high-performance Volvo tuning and racing to progressive, minimalist electric performance vehicles. The brand maintains a long-term connection to Volvo through ownership and platform sharing.
Polestar became a publicly traded company in 2022 under the ticker PSNY. Its headquarters are located in Gothenburg/Torslanda, Sweden.
Polestar Logo Evolution
1996–2017: Original Racing Identity
- Design: Solid bright blue square with thin light gray outline, white lowercase polestar inscription along the bottom, small white four-pointed star positioned above the text on the right
- Colors: Bright blue, light gray, white
- Changes: Featured thin fine lines evoking freshness and coldness
- Context: This Polestar logo reflected the brand’s motorsport heritage from its founding through its time as Polestar Performance
2017–2020: Minimalist Polar Star Symbol
- Design: Stylized polar star composed of two black arrowheads placed diagonally, arrowheads pointing toward the center with the bottom element upright and upper one facing bottom-left
- Colors: Black
- Changes: Removed background and lettering for an edgy, modern, and sharp appearance that also resembles two birds
- Context: This Polestar symbol was introduced to celebrate the new era as a standalone electric vehicle brand focused on innovation and progressiveness
2020–Present: Refined Gray Polar Star
- Design: Same structural design as the 2017 version using two arrowheads
- Colors: Two shades of gray creating a more dynamic and light appearance
- Changes: Executed in glossy metal on vehicles for a sharper modern look, paired with a lowercase thin sans-serif logotype used situationally
- Context: This Polestar emblem update coincided with Polestar 2 production start and first customer deliveries, using silver-gray tones evoking polar nights
Direct Links Between Brand Events and Logo Changes
The 2015 Volvo acquisition set the stage for brand repositioning. The 2017 standalone brand launch directly triggered the major 2017 logo redesign, shifting from the blue square with text to the minimalist arrowhead symbol. The 2017 logo change was described as a celebration of the new era for the company and a demonstration of progressiveness and focus on innovations. The 2020 logo color refresh coincided with first major EV deliveries. Overall, the Polestar logo evolution moved from a literal star-in-blue representing racing heritage to an abstract, minimalist polar star symbol for the electric future.
Polestar Logo History Timeline
- 1996 — Foundation of predecessor Flash Engineering and introduction of original logo
- 2005 — Rebranded as Polestar Racing and Polestar Performance
- 2015 — Volvo acquires the brand
- 2017 — Major logo redesign coincides with launch as dedicated electric performance brand and reveal of Polestar 1
- 2020 — Logo color refresh coincides with Polestar 2 production start and first customer deliveries
- 2022 — Becomes publicly traded company
This progression reflects how the Polestar car logo has continuously adapted to the company’s strategic shifts while maintaining a connection to its Swedish performance roots. The current Polestar badge delivers a refined, modern presence suitable for electric performance luxury vehicles.
