Preliminary U.S. deliveries of the Polestar 3 and Volvo EX90 are prone to be delayed by months attributable to a software-related situation spanning these fashions’ shared platform, the 2 Swedish EV makers confirmed Thursday. 

The affect could also be most important for Polestar, as U.S. deliveries of the Polestar 3 electrical SUV gained’t begin later this 12 months as initially meant. 

Manufacturing of the Polestar 3 will begin within the first quarter of 2024, Polestar confirmed Thursday. It had been attributable to begin in summer time 2023 in China, with deliveries due there and within the U.S. later within the 12 months. In the meantime, U.S. manufacturing was attributable to begin in 2024, with the South Carolina plant positioned to be the manufacturing supply for the electrical SUV for all world markets besides China. 

“Polestar was lately knowledgeable that further time for closing software program growth of the brand new all-electric platform shared by Volvo Automobiles is required and that the beginning of manufacturing of Polestar 3 is now anticipated within the first quarter of 2024,” Polestar mentioned in an announcement issued Thursday. 

2024 Polestar 3

2024 Polestar 3

2024 Polestar 3

What this implies, Polestar confirmed to Inexperienced Automobile Stories, is that manufacturing will now not be ramped up some months earlier in China than in South Carolina; as a substitute, the 2 vegetation will ramp up across the similar time, subsequent 12 months. “Begin of Polestar 3 manufacturing in Ridgeville, South Carolina in the USA stays on monitor for mid-2024,” Polestar mentioned. 

Polestar additional clarified that the delay is solely attributable to software program growth and never a producing or supply-chain delay. China-market variations will probably be in-built China, whereas variations for the remainder of the world will probably be made in South Carolina. That plant, run by Volvo, stands out as the first of the automaker’s world vegetation making only electric cars. 

2025 Polestar 4

The launch of the Polestar 4, a extra inexpensive mannequin that might rival the Tesla Mannequin Y, will not be affected by the delay, Polestar clarified, which suggests it would go into manufacturing earlier than the three. The Polestar 4 will probably be accessible in China within the fourth quarter of 2023 and different markets in early 2024, the corporate mentioned. 

After Polestar’s level over to Volvo because the supply of the delay, Volvo additionally confirmed that it has adjusted its start-of-production timing for the EX90, which is constructed on the identical platform. It mentioned in an announcement that it wants extra time in software program growth and testing “to make sure a high-quality introduction of the automobile and to maximise buyer profit from its expertise from day 1.”

2024 Volvo EX90 Excellence

A manufacturing begin of the Volvo EX90 had been attributable to begin by the top of the 12 months, with first U.S. deliveries in early 2024. With a delayed manufacturing begin within the first half of 2024, the mannequin seems to be delayed by a number of months. 

With a major delay of months for these fashions, will reservation-holders wait? Or will they shift to rival fashions from Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Audi, Rivian, and even Kia? With a really tight market and a short supply of EVs, Volvo and Polestar might must plan for some time beyond regulation.