Michael Lohscheller isn't sugarcoating the math as Polestar's remaining 2026 inventory in the United States is nearly gone. After that, most of its current US lineup disappears from new-car showrooms. The Swedish-Chinese automaker's CEO says the clearance run has been good for business.
Polestar's US sales hit 2,160 vehicles in the third quarter, more than double the 966 units it moved a year earlier. That bump came from buyers racing to grab a Polestar 3 or Polestar 4 before the window closes for those models under the new rule.
The company is close to selling out its remaining model-year 2026 cars in the US, according to Lohscheller, who said US sales were strong in the quarter "as we are now selling the last model year 26 cars." Reports tracking dealer listings pegged the nationwide count at roughly 150 vehicles at publication, a thin sliver of what Polestar once stocked.
The ban stems from the Commerce Department's Connected Vehicle Rule, which targets vehicle software and hardware tied to China or Russia. Polestar is majority owned by Geely and built on Volvo underpinnings with Chinese manufacturing ties. Starting with the 2027 model year, the brand risks losing the ability to sell connected vehicles in the US, although regulators are still weighing compliance options, including a Polestar 2 that uses updated connectivity hardware.
Polestar says it will not contest the ban, a stance the company reiterated even as it pressed regulators for clarity on how the rule would be enforced. The automaker says its US service network and certified pre-owned program will keep running once most new-car sales stop, so existing owners aren't left stranded.
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