Polestar Banned From Selling Cars In US From Model Year 2027
- Reference: 0184094806
- News link: https://tech.slashdot.org/story/26/06/25/2046248/polestar-banned-from-selling-cars-in-us-from-model-year-2027
- Source link:
> The U.S. Department of Commerce's Bureau of Industry and Security [2]denied Polestar an authorization under the Connected Vehicle Rule . Polestar will continue to sell its existing inventory of Polestar 3 and 4 crossovers in the United States and will continue to offer support to customers and access to its service network. But no new 2027 models will set wheels on American soil.
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> The [3]Connected Vehicle Rule is a regulation that restricts the import and sale of vehicles equipped with Vehicle Connectivity Systems (VCS) and Automated Driving Systems (ADS) tied to foreign adversaries, primarily from China and Russia. Polestar is owned by Chinese auto giant Geely, which has also been the parent company of Swedish brand Volvo since 2010. However, Volvo has recently been granted authorization to sell connected vehicles in the United States.
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> The rule, set out by the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS), classifies modern vehicles as mobile data centers and is designed to protect national security by keeping sensitive driver data and vehicle control systems out of the hands of foreign governments. Michael Lohscheller, Polestar CEO, confirms that the company is well aware that the automotive industry is entering a new phase, based on regional dynamics. So, Polestar will shift its strategy to its biggest market as it is preparing its exit from the U.S. market.
The report notes that Polestar sold 5,384 cars in the U.S. in 2025, with 60,119 units sold globally.
[1] https://slashdot.org/~schwit1
[2] https://www.autoevolution.com/news/polestar-banned-from-selling-cars-in-the-us-starting-with-model-year-2027-272042.html
[3] https://www.bis.gov/connected-vehicles
The best outcome... (Score:3)
The best possible outcome would be for Polestar to release EVs with no connectivity systems and no automated driving systems, for the US market.
Re: (Score:3)
The best possible outcome would be for everyone to release cars with no connectivity or automated driving systems.
Re: (Score:2, Informative)
If it was a tech company, they'd run a campaign to tell people how "evil government regulations are removing features from your cars", then build the appropriate pool or ballroom in order to have the regulations removed.
Automakers are playing similar games, but their leaders don't have quite the same "total domination at the expense of all else" death-drive.
Re: (Score:2)
> The best possible outcome would be for Polestar to release EVs with no connectivity systems and no automated driving systems, for the US market.
Except that they're positioned as luxury vehicles and those kind of features are expected at those price points. The Polestar 3's MSRP is $68,900 and the Polestar 4 is $57,800. This isn't a BYD Seagull.
Has zero to do with cybersecurity (Score:2)
The rule is there for economic protectionism.
That is the reality.
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Obviously. I am currently looking for a data provider for various IOT devices, talked to all major providers, talking to ton of others. Major providers demand that equipment is approved by their networks, in conversations this is all about keeping cheaper equipment out of the country, that's all.
Cool! (Score:2)
Next do Ford, GM, and Tesla.
Not a fatal blow (Score:3)
According to the article, US sales account for about 12% of global sales, so they don't depend on the US market.
Here's an idea (Score:2)
Stop making cars that are "mobile data centers".
How much did Tesla spend (Score:1)
On lobbying to make this happen?
Re: (Score:2)
Looking at Polestar's sales numbers, I don't think Tesla really had anything to worry about. It's mostly BYD (who has been eating Tesla's lunch in the rest of the world) that Tesla fears, and Polestar likely just became a casualty of the protectionism designed to keep BYD out.
North America datacenter? (Score:2)
So if they had their North American cars communicating to a North American-based datacenter, would that be ok? Or is it really just the blocking of BYD?
Volvo but not Polestar? (Score:2)
Many of their cars share parts, and they certainly share data APIs. The Polestar plugin for home assistant was basically just a copy of Volvo's.
Why do I get the feeling this is some person in the government thinking Volvo was still Swedish but Polestar is evil communism car.
Re: (Score:2)
Yes, this seems incoherent. They have good arguments to put before the courts.
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"Why do I get the feeling this is some person in the government thinking Volvo was still Swedish but Polestar is evil communism car."
Because MAGA does. Also, what about Lotus?
Re: (Score:2)
Also, what about Lotus?
Or USB cables?
Re: (Score:2)
Volvo sells gas-powered cars. Killing Polestar is a twofer, it's anti-Chiner AND anti-EV, plus Musk likes it.
"...designed to protect national security by keeping sensitive driver data and vehicle control systems out of the hands of foreign governments..."
Now there's some complete nonsense. Nothing worse than having that data in the hands of Elon Musk.
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If the better Chinese EVs were allowed to sell in the USA, every domestic EV would soon be in deep trouble including those from Tesla.
I don't want my data in *anyone's* hands - i don't trust any of them.
Re: (Score:2)
> If the better Chinese EVs were allowed to sell in the USA, every domestic EV would soon be in deep trouble including those from Tesla.
It's obviously protectionism, because we're fine with inexpensive Chinese EVs so long as they happen to look like [1]this. [imgix.net]
Anecdotally, I've actually noticed an uptick in people riding e-scooters. I guess that's what you get when the least expensive new car in the US starts at over $20k.
[1] https://segway.imgix.net/catalog/product/cache/d3ec3723470ff918c92e447639eaf984/m/a/max_g3-1_2.png