Polestar has showcased a 1:1 scale model of the winning design from its recent design contest during the IAA 2023 event in Munich. This design, named the ‘Polestar Synergy’, is an electric fantasy supercar that merges three top designs from the competition. The contest had over 600 entries, with participants tasked to design a Polestar vehicle emphasizing performance and sustainability. Out of the many designs, ten were shortlisted, and three winners were chosen: two for the exterior and one for the interior. This is the first time the contest has had an interior winner. The final design took over six months of collaboration between the winners and the Polestar Design team.
In addition to this, Polestar has initiated a collaboration with Mattel’s Hot Wheels brand. The partnership will begin with Hot Wheels inspiring the upcoming Polestar Design Contest, drawing from Hot Wheels’ 55-year history of innovative designs. Furthermore, Polestar’s production vehicles will be transformed into Hot Wheels and Matchbox collectibles in the future.
Thomas Ingenlath, the CEO of Polestar, expressed his appreciation for the winners and highlighted the collaboration with Mattel. He emphasized the potential of electric vehicles in both real and toy forms. Roberto Stanichi, SVP and Global Head of Vehicles at Mattel, also expressed enthusiasm for the partnership, emphasizing the shared values of innovation and boundary-pushing design.
The ‘Polestar Synergy’ is inspired by nature and features a unique single-seat floating interior. The car will be displayed at the Polestar Space in Munich during IAA 2023 and will later be showcased at other Polestar venues.
Maximillian Missoni, Polestar’s Head of Design, highlighted the importance of collaboration in this year’s contest. He also mentioned the exposure student designers receive through such platforms, especially with the full-scale model touring various Polestar locations.
The exterior designs were crafted by Paris-based designers, Devashish Deshmukh and Swapnil Desai. Deshmukh’s design drew inspiration from a hammerhead shark, while Desai’s focused on materials that age well. The interior, designed by Yingxiang Li from China, emphasizes a performance-centric seating position, aiming for a “floating comfort and control” experience.
The car, despite its compact size, embodies Polestar’s performance values. After its Munich debut, the model will be featured at the Hot Wheels Legends Tour in El Segundo, California, starting October 7, 2023, and will later be displayed at other Polestar locations in the U.S.
Lastly, Kamil Kozik from Poland received special recognition in the contest for his sustainable performance go-kart design, which can be integrated into a local power grid when not being used.