Polestar is banned in the US, but we still want its latest concept car

Polestar has unveiled a concept car called the Formula 2030, but buyers in the United States face a larger obstacle than the vehicle's concept-only status. Under the Connected Vehicle Rule, the US Bureau of Industry and Security will bar Polestar from selling new models in the country starting in 2027. The rule restricts sales of cars containing software or hardware from China or Russia unless automakers obtain authorization. Polestar has not received that authorization.

The restriction is tied to Polestar's ownership. The company is majority-owned by China's Geely, which also owns Volvo. Volvo received authorization under the rule, but Polestar did not, leaving Americans unable to purchase the future EVs that the Formula 2030 previews unless the situation changes.

The Formula 2030 itself is a low, compact four-door sports car. It stands 53 inches tall and measures 184 inches long. It carries Polestar's Dual Blade headlights, a wraparound windshield and a rear that the company describes as UFO-esque. Polestar passed on the full-width light bar common to EVs in favor of Single Blade rear lights, which it says will appear on future production models. A concealed LiDAR sensor emerges only when the car enters autonomous mode.

Inside, a 20-inch curved driver display sits on the steering column, with customizable physical controls below a 12.2-inch center screen. The four individual seats have inflatable bolsters that adjust to each occupant, and the seat backs combine European flax with bio-based polypropylene. Voice control runs on Google Gemini.

Polestar says design elements from the concept will carry into the successor to the Polestar 2, due in 2027, and the Polestar 7 SUV, expected in 2028. For US consumers, those models fall on the far side of the sales ban.

The Formula 2030 is not available for purchase anywhere, since it is a concept vehicle. Its relevance to American buyers is as an indicator of the styling and features Polestar plans for production cars that, under current policy, they cannot buy.

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