Tesla competitor Polestar to launch its own smartphone as part of China’s latest EV trend
- The move follows a similar announcement by local competitor Nio, as the companies attempt to gain an edge in China’s competitive market
- Experts say the trend is likely to continue as EVs focus on smart features, although EV makers are not likely to disrupt smartphone market
Polestar, the Swedish electric vehicle (EV) maker owned by Chinese auto giant Geely Holdings, aims to launch a smartphone alongside its upcoming SUV model in China this year, as EV competition in the country revs up.
The plan stems from a partnership between Polestar and Chinese smartphone maker Xingji Meizu, which is also owned by Geely, and will see the products offered in China towards the end of 2023, as first reported by CNBC and later confirmed by the South China Morning Post on Friday.
The move follows a similar announcement from a local competitor, and is emblematic of China’s highly competitive EV market as companies attempt to stay ahead with the most advanced technology and features, according to experts.
“The idea is that the phone and the car’s operating system will be the same, allowing them to merge and offer compatible smart features”, said Yale Zhang Yu, managing director of Shanghai-based research company Automotive Foresight.
While this would essentially turn the car’s display into a smartphone, companies are likely to see the phones themselves as a complement, and not a competitor, to other smartphone brands, he added.
Polestar, spun off from the car brand Volvo, and Xingji Meizu first signed a joint venture to work on smart technologies and an operating system for products in China in June, according to local media reports.