UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
FORM 20-F
(Mark One)
OR
For the fiscal year ended December 31 , 2023
OR
OR
Date of event requiring this shell company report:
Commission File Number: 001-41431
(Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)
Not applicable (Translation of Registrant’s name into English) | England and Wales (Jurisdiction of incorporation or organization) | ||||
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)
Tel: +1 551 284 9479
ir@polestar.com
(Name, Telephone, Email and/or Facsimile number and Address of Company Contact Person)
Securities registered or to be registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
as amended (the “Exchange Act”):
as amended (the “Exchange Act”):
Title of each class | Trading Symbol(s) | Name of each exchange on which registered | ||||||
The | ||||||||
The | ||||||||
The | ||||||||
The | ||||||||
Securities registered or to be registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Exchange Act: None
Securities for which there is a reporting obligation pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act: None
Indicate the number of outstanding shares of each of the issuer’s classes of capital or common stock as of the close of the period covered by the shell company report: On December 31, 2023, the issuer had 467,976,748 Class A Shares (as defined in this Report) in the form of Class A ADSs (as defined in this Report) issued and outstanding, 1,642,233,575 Class B Shares (as defined in this Report) in the form of Class B ADSs (as defined in this Report) issued and outstanding, 20,499,965 Class C-1 Shares (as defined in this Report) in the form of Class C-1 ADSs (as defined in this Report) issued and outstanding and 4,500,000 Class C-2 Shares (as defined in this Report) in the form of Class C-2 ADSs (as defined in this Report) issued and outstanding.
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act. Yes ☐ No ☒
If this report is an annual or transition report, indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Yes ☐ No ☒
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes ☒ No ☐
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files). Yes ☒ No ☐
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, or an emerging growth company. See definition of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.
| ☒ | Accelerated filer | ☐ | Non-accelerated filer | ☐ | |||||||||||||
| Emerging growth company | |||||||||||||||||
If an emerging growth company that prepares its financial statements in accordance with U.S. GAAP, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards† provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐
† The term “new or revised financial accounting standard” refers to any update issued by the Financial Accounting Standards Board to its Accounting Standards Codification after April 5, 2012.
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has filed a report on and attestation to its management’s assessment of the effectiveness of its internal control over financial reporting over Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (15 U.S.C. 7262(b)) by the registered public accounting firm that prepared or issued its audit report. ☒
If securities are registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act, indicate by check mark whether the financial statements of the registrant included in the filing reflect the correction of an error to previously issued financial statements. ☒
Indicate by check mark whether any of those error corrections are restatements that required a recovery analysis of incentive-based compensation received by any of the registrant’ s executive officers during the relevant recovery period pursuant to §240.10D-1(b).☒
Indicate by check mark which basis of accounting the registrant has used to prepare the financial statements included in this filing:
US GAAP ☐ | Other ☐ | |||||||||||||
If “Other” has been checked in response to the previous question indicate by check mark which financial statement item the registrant has elected to follow. Item 17 ☐ Item 18 ☐
If this is an annual report, indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act). Yes ☐ No ☒
* Not for trading, but only in connection with the listing of the Class A American Depositary Shares on The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC. The Class A American Depositary Shares each represent one Class A Ordinary Share and are registered under the Securities Act of 1933 pursuant to a separate Registration Statement on Form F-6. Accordingly, the Class A American Depositary Shares are exempt from the operation of Section 12(a) of the Exchange Act pursuant to Rule 12a-8 thereunder.
** Not for trading, but only in connection with the listing of the Class C-1 American Depositary Shares on The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC. The Class C-1 American Depositary Shares each represent one Class C Ordinary Share and are registered under the Securities
Act pursuant to a separate Registration Statement on Form F-6. Accordingly, the Class C-1 American Depositary Shares are exempt from the operation of Section 12(a) of the Exchange Act pursuant to Rule 12a-8 thereunder.
POLESTAR AUTOMOTIVE HOLDING UK PLC
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
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CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This Report on Form 20-F (including information incorporated by reference herein, this “Report”) includes statements that express Polestar’s opinions, expectations, beliefs, plans, objectives, assumptions or projections regarding future events or future results and therefore are, or may be deemed to be, “forward-looking statements” as defined in Section 27A of the Securities Act, and Section 21E of the Exchange Act, that involve significant risks and uncertainties. These forward-looking statements can generally be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology, including the terms “believes,” “estimates,” “anticipates,” “expects,” “seeks,” “projects,” “intends,” “plans,” “may,” “will” or “should” or, in each case, their negative or other variations or comparable terminology. These forward-looking statements include all matters that are not historical facts. They appear in a number of places throughout this Report and include statements regarding Polestar’s intentions, beliefs or current expectations concerning, among other things: the benefits of the Business Combination; results of operations; financial condition; liquidity; prospects; growth; strategies and the markets in which Polestar operates, including estimates and forecasts of financial and operational metrics, projections of market opportunity, market share and vehicle sales; expectations and timing related to commercial product launches, including the start of production and launch of any future products of Polestar, and the performance, range, autonomous driving and other features of the vehicles of Polestar; future market opportunities, including with respect to energy storage systems and automotive partnerships; future manufacturing capabilities and facilities; future sales channels and strategies; and future market launches and expansion.
Such forward-looking statements are based on available current market information and the current expectations of Polestar including beliefs and forecasts concerning future developments and the potential effects of such developments on Polestar. Factors that may impact such forward-looking statements include:
• the outcome of any legal proceedings that may be instituted against GGI or Polestar in connection with the Business Combination;
• the ability to continue to meet stock exchange listing standards;
• Polestar's securities’ potential liquidity and trading;
• changes in domestic and foreign business, market, financial, political and legal conditions;
• Polestar’s ability to enter into or maintain agreements or partnerships with its strategic partners, including Volvo Cars and Geely, original equipment manufacturers, vendors and technology providers, and to source new suppliers for its critical components, and to complete building out its supply chain, while effectively managing the risks due to such relationships;
• risks relating to the uncertainty of any projected financial information or operational results of Polestar, including underlying assumptions regarding expected development and launch timelines for Polestar’s carlines, manufacturing in the United States starting as planned, demand for Polestar’s vehicles or car sale volumes, revenue and margin development based on pricing, variant and market mix, cost reduction efficiencies, logistics and growing aftersales as the total Polestar fleet of cars and customer base grow;
• delays in the development, design, manufacture, launch and financing of Polestar’s vehicles and Polestar’s reliance on a limited number of vehicle models to generate revenues;
• risks related to the timing of expected business milestones and commercial launches, including Polestar’s ability to mass produce its current and new vehicle models and complete the upgrade or tooling of its manufacturing facilities;
• increases in costs, disruption of supply or shortage of materials, in particular for lithium-ion cells or semiconductors;
• risks related to product recalls, regulatory fines and/or an unexpectedly high volume of warranty claims;
• Polestar’s reliance on its partners to manufacture vehicles at a high volume, some of which have limited experience in producing electric vehicles, and on the allocation of sufficient production capacity to Polestar by its partners in order for Polestar to be able to increase its vehicle production volumes;
• competition, the ability of Polestar to grow and manage growth profitably, maintain relationships with customers and suppliers and retain its management and key employees;
• the possibility that Polestar may be adversely affected by other economic, business, and/or competitive factors;
• risks related to future market adoption of Polestar’s offerings;
• risks related to Polestar’s distribution model;
• the effects of competition and the high barriers to entry in the automotive industry, the pace and depth of electric vehicle adoption generally on Polestar’s future business, and the risk of other competing propulsion technologies, such as hydrogen fuel cells, gaining market acceptance;
• changes in regulatory requirements (including environmental laws and regulations), governmental incentives and fuel and energy prices;
• Polestar’s ability to rapidly innovate;
• risks associated with changes in applicable laws or regulations and with Polestar’s international operations;
• Polestar’s ability to effectively manage its growth and recruit and retain key employees, including its chief executive officer and executive team;
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• Polestar’s reliance on the development of vehicle charging networks to provide charging solutions for its vehicles and its strategic partners for servicing its vehicles and their integrated software;
• Polestar’s ability to establish its brand and capture additional market share, and the risks associated with negative press or reputational harm, including from lithium-ion battery cells catching fire or venting smoke;
• the outcome of any potential litigation, government and regulatory proceedings, investigations and inquiries;
• Polestar’s ability to continuously and rapidly innovate, develop and market new products;
• the outcome of any potential litigation, government and regulatory proceedings, investigations and inquiries;
• the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, inflation, interest rate changes, the ongoing conflict between Ukraine and Russia and in Israel, the Gaza Strip and the Red Sea, supply chain disruptions and logistical constraints on Polestar’s business, projected results of operations, financial performance or other financial and operational metrics or on any of the foregoing risks;
• the need to raise additional funds to support business growth; and
• the other risks and uncertainties included in this Report under “Risk Factors” in Item 3.D.
There can be no assurance that future developments affecting Polestar will be those that Polestar has anticipated. These forward-looking statements involve a number of risks, uncertainties (some of which are beyond Polestar’s control) or other assumptions that may cause actual results or performance to be materially different from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, those factors described under the heading “Risk Factors” in Item 3.D. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should any of the assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary in material respects from those projected in these forward-looking statements. Polestar will not undertake any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required under applicable securities laws.
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FREQUENTLY USED TERMS
Unless otherwise stated in this Report or the context otherwise requires, references to:
“AD securities” or “ADSs” means Class A ADSs and Class C ADSs.
“ADS Deposit Agreement—Class A ADSs” means the ADS Deposit Agreement, by and among the Company, Citibank, N.A., as depositary, and all holders and beneficial owners from time to time of American depositary shares issued thereunder and representing deposited Class A Shares, a form of which is filed as an exhibit to this Report.
“ADS Deposit Agreement—Class C-1 ADSs” means the ADS Deposit Agreement, dated June 23, 2022, by and among the Company, Citibank, N.A., as depositary, and all holders and beneficial owners from time to time of American depositary shares issued thereunder and representing deposited Class C-1 Shares, a copy of which is filed as an exhibit to this Report.
“ADS Deposit Agreement—Class C-2 ADSs” means the ADS Deposit Agreement, dated June 23, 2022, by and among the Company, Citibank, N.A., as depositary, and all holders and beneficial owners from time to time of American depositary shares issued thereunder and representing deposited Company C-2 Shares, a copy of which is filed as an exhibit to this Report.
“Amendment No. 1 to the Business Combination Agreement” means that certain amendment to the Business Combination Agreement, dated as of December 17, 2021, a copy of which is filed as an exhibit to this Report.
“Amendment No. 2 to the Business Combination Agreement” means that certain amendment to the Business Combination Agreement, dated as of March 24, 2022, a copy of which is filed as an exhibit to this Report.
“Amendment No. 3 to the Business Combination Agreement” means that certain amendment to the Business Combination Agreement, dated as of April 21, 2022, a copy of which is filed as an exhibit to this Report.
“Board” means the board of directors of the Company.
“Business Combination” means the transactions contemplated by the Business Combination Agreement, including the Merger, and the other transactions contemplated by the other transaction documents contemplated by the Business Combination Agreement.
“Business Combination Agreement” means that certain Business Combination Agreement, dated as of September 27, 2021 (as amended by Amendment No. 1 to the Business Combination Agreement, Amendment No. 2 to the Business Combination Agreement and Amendment No. 3 to the Business Combination Agreement), by and among GGI, the Company, Former Parent, Polestar Singapore, Polestar Sweden and Merger Sub, a copy of which is filed as an exhibit to this Report.
“Business Combination Closing” means the closing of the Business Combination.
“Business Combination Closing Date” means the date of the Business Combination Closing or June 23, 2022.
“Class A ADS” means one American depositary share of the Company duly and validly issued against the deposit with the Depositary of an underlying Class A Share.
“Class A Shares” means Class A ordinary shares of the Company, entitling the holder thereof to one vote per share.
“Class B ADS” means one American depositary share of the Company duly and validly issued against the deposit with the Depositary of an underlying Class B Shares.
“Class B Shares” means Class B ordinary shares of the Company, entitling the holder thereof to 10 votes per share.
“Class C ADSs” means Class C-1 ADSs and Class C-2 ADSs.
“Class C Shares” means Class C-1 Shares and Class C-2 Shares.
“Class C Warrant Amendment” means the amendment to the SPAC Warrant Agreement entered into by and among GGI, Computershare Inc. and Computershare Trust Company, N.A., and pursuant to which, among other things, each GGI Public Warrant converted into a Class C-1 ADS and each GGI Private Placement Warrant converted into a Class C-2 ADS, each of which is exercisable for Class A ADSs and subject to substantially the same terms as were applicable to the GGI Warrants under the SPAC Warrant Agreement, a copy of which is filed as an exhibit to this Report.
“Class C-1 ADS” means one American depositary share of the Company into which each GGI Public Warrant has been automatically cancelled and extinguished and converted into the right to receive one Class A ADS and each of which is duly and validly issued against the deposit with the Depositary of an underlying Class C-1 Share.
“Class C-1 Share” means a class C-1 ordinary share in the share capital of the Company, each of which underlies a Class C-1 ADS and is exercisable for one Class A Share.
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“Class C-2 ADS” means one American depositary share of the Company into which each GGI Private Placement Warrant has been automatically cancelled and extinguished and converted into the right to receive one Class A ADS and each of which is duly and validly issued against the deposit with the Depositary of an underlying Class C-2 Share.
“Class C-2 Share” means a class C-2 ordinary share in the share capital of the Company, each of which underlies a Class C-2 ADS and is exercisable for one Class A Share.
“Code” means the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.
“Company” means, prior to the re-registration as a public limited company under the laws of England and Wales, “Polestar Automotive Holding UK Limited,” a limited company incorporated under the laws of England and Wales, and, after the re-registration as a public limited company under the laws of England and Wales, “Polestar Automotive Holding UK PLC.”
“Company securities” means the Shares and Class C Shares.
“Current GGI Certificate” means the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of GGI, dated March 22, 2021.
“December PIPE Investment” means the purchase of December PIPE Shares pursuant to the December PIPE Subscription Agreements.
“December PIPE Investors” means the purchasers of December PIPE Shares in the December PIPE Investment, which include certain affiliates and employees of the GGI Sponsor.
“December PIPE Shares” means the Class A Shares in the form of Class A ADSs purchased by December PIPE Investors in the December PIPE Investment.
“December PIPE Subscription Agreements” means the share subscription agreements, dated December 17, 2021, by and among the Company, GGI and the December PIPE Investors pursuant to which the December PIPE Investors purchased the December PIPE Shares.
“Deferred Shares” means the deferred shares of USD 0.01 each in the capital of the Company that have no right to vote or dividend rights.
“Deloitte” means Deloitte AB, an independent registered public accounting firm.
“Deposit Agreements” means the ADS Deposit Agreement—Class A ADSs, the ADS Deposit Agreement—Class C-1 ADSs and the ADS Deposit Agreement—Class C-2 ADSs.
“Depositary” means Citibank, N.A., acting as depositary under the Deposit Agreements.
“Earn Out Class A Shares” means the earn out shares issuable by the Company in the form of Class A ADSs.
“Earn Out Class B Shares” means the earn out shares issuable by the Company in the form of Class B ADSs.
“Earn Out Shares” means earn out shares from the Company issuable in Class A ADSs and Class B ADS to certain Former Parent Shareholders depending on share price performance of Polestar.
“Employee Stock Purchase Plan” means Polestar Automotive Holding UK PLC 2022 Stock Purchase Plan.
“Equity Plan” means the Polestar Automotive Holding UK PLC 2022 Omnibus Incentive Plan.
“EU” means the European Union.
“Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, together with the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.
“Former Parent” means Polestar Automotive Holding Limited, a Hong Kong incorporated company, which completed a voluntary liquidation in 2023.
“Former Parent Shareholders” means Snita, PSINV AB, PSD Investment Limited, GLY New Mobility 1. LP, Northpole GLY 1 LP, Chongqing Liangjiang 
, Zibo Financial Holding Group Co., Ltd. and Zibo High-Tech Industrial Investment Co., Ltd.
, Zibo Financial Holding Group Co., Ltd. and Zibo High-Tech Industrial Investment Co., Ltd. “GAAP” means generally accepted accounting principles in the United States.
“Geely” means Zhejiang Geely Holding Group Company Limited.
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“Geely Term Loan Facility” means the Term Loan Facility, dated November 3, 2022, between the Company, as borrower, and Geely Sweden Automotive Investment AB, as lender.
“GGI” means Gores Guggenheim, Inc.
“GGI Class A Common Stock” means the shares of Class A common stock, par value $0.0001 per share, of GGI.
“GGI Class F Common Stock” means the shares of Class F common stock, par value $0.0001 per share, of GGI.
“GGI Common Stock” means the GGI Class A Common Stock and the GGI Class F Common Stock.
“GGI Initial Stockholders” means the GGI Sponsor and Randall Bort, Elizabeth Marcellino and Nancy Tellem, GGI’s independent directors.
“GGI Public Warrants” means the warrants included in the GGI public units (consisting of one share of GGI Class A Common Stock and one-fifth of one GGI Public Warrant) issued in the GGI initial public offering, consummated on March 25, 2021.
“GGI Sponsor” means Gores Guggenheim Sponsor LLC, a Delaware limited liability company and its affiliates, including The Gores Group, LLC.
“GGI Warrants” means, collectively, the GGI Private Placement Warrants and the GGI Public Warrants.
“Initial PIPE Investment” means the purchase of Initial PIPE Shares pursuant to the Initial PIPE Subscription Agreements.
“Initial PIPE Investors” means the purchasers of Initial PIPE Shares in the Initial PIPE Investment.
“Initial PIPE Shares” means the Class A Shares in the form of Class A ADSs purchased by Initial PIPE Investors in the Initial PIPE Investment.
“Initial PIPE Subscription Agreements” means the share subscription agreements, dated September 27, 2021, by and among the Company, GGI and the Initial PIPE Investors pursuant to which the Initial PIPE Investors purchased the Initial PIPE Shares.
“IRS” means the U.S. Internal Revenue Service.
“March 2022 PIPE Investors” means the purchasers of March 2022 PIPE Shares in the March 2022 PIPE Investment, which include certain affiliates and employees of the GGI Sponsor.
“March 2022 PIPE Shares” means the Class A Shares in the form of Class A ADSs purchased by March 2022 PIPE Investors in the March 2022 PIPE Investment.
“March 2022 PIPE Subscription Agreements” means the shares subscription agreements, dated March 24, 2022, by and among the Company, GGI and the March 2022 PIPE Investors pursuant to which the March 2022 PIPE Investors purchased the March 2022 PIPE Shares.
“March 2022 Sponsor Investment” means the purchase of March 2022 PIPE Shares pursuant to the March 2022 PIPE Subscription Agreements.
“Merger” means the merger between Merger Sub and GGI, with GGI surviving as a direct wholly owned subsidiary of the Company.
“Merger Sub” means PAH UK Merger Sub Inc., a Delaware corporation and a direct wholly owned subsidiary of the Company until June 23, 2022.
“Nasdaq” means the National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations Global Market.
“PIPE Investment” means the purchase of PIPE Shares pursuant to the PIPE Subscription Agreements.
“PIPE Investors” means the purchasers of PIPE Shares in the PIPE Investment.
“PIPE Shares” means the Class A Shares in the form of Class A ADSs purchased by PIPE Investors in the PIPE Investment.
“PIPE Subscription Agreements” means the Initial PIPE Subscription Agreements, the December PIPE Subscription Agreements and the March 2022 PIPE Subscription Agreements.
“Polestar” means, as the context requires, (i) in general Former Parent and its subsidiaries prior to the Business Combination Closing, (ii) in the context of the Business Combination, the Pre-Closing Reorganization and the Pre-Closing Sweden/Singapore Share Transfer, Polestar Sweden, or, both Polestar Singapore and Polestar Sweden if at any time (x) Polestar Sweden is not a wholly-owned
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subsidiary of Polestar Singapore or (y) Polestar Singapore is not a wholly-owned subsidiary of Polestar Sweden, or (iii) the Company or Polestar Group after the Business Combination Closing.
“Polestar Articles” means the Articles of Association of Polestar, a copy of which is filed as an exhibit to this Report.
“Polestar Group” means Former Parent, together with its subsidiaries prior to the Business Combination Closing and the Company and its subsidiaries following the Business Combination Closing.
“Polestar Singapore” means Polestar Automotive (Singapore) Pte. Ltd., a private company limited by shares in Singapore.
“Polestar Spaces” means permanent or pop up/temporary Polestar showrooms located in urban or peri-urban areas where potential customers can experience Polestar vehicles, engage with Polestar specialists and, at select locations, test-drive Polestar vehicles.
“Polestar Sweden” means Polestar Holding AB, a private limited liability company incorporated under the laws of Sweden.
“Pre-Closing Reorganization” means the reorganization effectuated by Former Parent, the Company, Polestar Singapore, Polestar Sweden and their respective subsidiaries, pursuant to which, among other things, Polestar Singapore, Polestar Sweden and their respective subsidiaries became, directly or indirectly, wholly owned subsidiaries of the Company.
“Pre-Closing Sweden/Singapore Share Transfer” means, collectively, the following transactions contemplated under the Business Combination Agreement: (i) the transfer by Polestar Singapore to Former Parent of all of the issued and outstanding equity securities of Polestar Sweden (the “Pre-Closing Sweden Share Transfer”) and (ii) after the Pre-Closing Sweden Share Transfer, the contribution by Former Parent to Polestar Sweden of all of the issued and outstanding equity securities of Polestar Singapore.
“Registration Rights Agreement” means the registration rights agreement, dated September 27, 2021, by and among the Company, Former Parent, the Former Parent Shareholders, the GGI Sponsor and the independent directors of GGI (such persons, together with the GGI Sponsor and the Former Parent Shareholders, the “Registration Rights Holders”), as amended by the Registration Rights Agreement Amendment No. 1, the Registration Rights Agreement Amendment No. 2 and the Registration Rights Agreement Amendment No. 3. A copy of the Registration Rights Agreement is filed as an exhibit to this Report.
“Registration Rights Agreement Amendment No. 1” means that certain amendment to the Registration Rights Agreement, dated December 17, 2021, a copy of which is filed as an exhibit to this Report.
“Registration Rights Agreement Amendment No. 2” means that certain amendment to the Registration Rights Agreement, dated March 24, 2022, a copy of which is filed as an exhibit to this Report.
“Registration Rights Agreement Amendment No. 3” means that certain amendment to the Registration Rights Agreement, dated April 26, 2023, a copy of which is filed as an exhibit to this Report.
“Related Agreements” means the Registration Rights Agreement, the Subscription Agreements, the Volvo Cars Preference Subscription Agreement, the Class C Warrant Amendment, the Shareholder Acknowledgement Agreement and the other agreements or documents contemplated under the Business Combination Agreement.
“Resale Securities” means the Class A ADSs and Class C ADSs being offered for resale in the prospectus that forms a part of the Shelf Registration Statement.
“Sarbanes-Oxley Act” means the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.
“SEC” means the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
“Securities Act” means the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.
“Selling Securityholders” means the securityholders named as selling securityholders in the prospectus that forms a part of the Shelf Registration Statement.
“Share Matching Plan” means the Polestar Automotive Holding UK PLC 2023 Share Matching Plan.
“Shareholder Acknowledgement Agreement” means the shareholder acknowledgement, dated September 27, 2021, by and among Former Parent, the Former Parent Shareholders, Volvo Car Corporation and the Company, as amended by the Shareholder Acknowledgement Agreement Amendment, a copy of which is filed as an exhibit to this Report.
“Shareholder Acknowledgement Agreement Amendment” means that certain amendment to the Shareholder Acknowledgement Agreement, dated March 24, 2022, a copy of which is filed as an exhibit to this Report.
“Shares” means the Class A Shares and the Class B Shares.
“Shelf Registration Statement” means the Registration Statement on Form F-3 that the Company initially filed on Form F-1 on July 12, 2022, and subsequently updated and supplemented with Post-Effective Amendments No. 1 and No. 2 filed with the SEC on September
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20, 2022 and April 21, 2023, respectively, and later converted to a Form F-3 with Post-Effective Amendment No. 3 filed with the SEC on July 11, 2023.
“Snita” means Snita Holding B.V., a corporation organized under the laws of the Netherlands and a wholly owned subsidiary of Volvo Car Corporation.
“Snita Term Loan Facility” means the Term Loan Facility, dated November 3, 2022, between the Company, as borrower, and Snita, as lender, as amended by the parties on November 8, 2023.
“SPAC Warrant Agreement” means that certain Warrant Agreement, by and between GGI and Computershare Trust Company, N.A., as warrant agent, dated as of March 22, 2021 (as amended by the SPAC Warrant Agreement Amendment and as may be further amended, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time), a copy of which is filed as an exhibit to this Report.
“SPAC Warrant Agreement Amendment” means that certain Amendment to the SPAC Warrant Agreement, by and between GGI and Computershare Trust Company, N.A., as warrant agent, dated as of April 7, 2022, a copy of which is filed as an exhibit to this Report.
“Sponsor Subscription Agreement” means the subscription agreement, dated September 27, 2021, as amended and restated on December 17, 2021 and amended on March 24, 2022, by and among GGI, the Company and the GGI Sponsor.
“Sponsor Subscription Investment” means the purchase of the Sponsor Subscription Shares pursuant to the Sponsor Subscription Agreement.
“Sponsor Subscription Shares” means the Class A Shares in the form of Class A ADSs purchased by the GGI Sponsor in the Sponsor Subscription Investment.
“Subscription Agreements” means the PIPE Subscription Agreements, the Sponsor Subscription Agreement and the Volvo Cars PIPE Subscription Agreement.
“Subscription Investments” means the purchase of the Subscription Shares pursuant to the Subscription Agreements.
“Subscription Shares” means the Class A Shares in the form of Class A ADSs purchased by the GGI Sponsor, the PIPE Investors and Snita pursuant to the Sponsor Subscription Agreement, the PIPE Subscription Agreements and the Volvo Cars PIPE Subscription Agreement, respectively.
“The Gores Group” means The Gores Group, LLC, an affiliate of the GGI Sponsor.
“TUSD” means thousands of U.S. Dollars.
“U.S. Dollars” and “USD” and “$” means United States dollars, the legal currency of the United States.
“U.S. GAAP” means generally accepted accounting principles in the United States.
“United Kingdom” or “UK” means the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and its territories and possessions.
“United States” or “US” means the United States of America and its territories and possessions.
“Volvo Cars” means Volvo Car AB (publ) and its subsidiaries.
“Volvo Cars PIPE Subscription Agreement” means the subscription agreement, dated September 27, 2021, as amended and restated on December 17, 2021 and amended on March 24, 2022, by and among GGI, the Company and Volvo Cars, pursuant to which Volvo Cars via its subsidiary Snita purchased 1,117,390 Volvo Cars PIPE Subscription Shares for a purchase price of $10.00 per share.
“Volvo Cars PIPE Subscription Investment” means the purchase of Volvo Cars PIPE Subscription Shares pursuant to the Volvo Cars PIPE Subscription Agreement.
“Volvo Cars PIPE Subscription Shares” means the Class A Shares in the form of Class A ADSs purchased by Snita in the Volvo Cars PIPE Subscription Investment.
“Volvo Cars Preference Subscription Agreement” means the subscription agreement, dated September 27, 2021, by and between the Company and Snita as amended on March 24, 2022, pursuant to which Snita purchased, at Business Combination Closing, mandatory convertible preference shares of the Company for an aggregate subscription price of $10.00 per share, for an aggregate investment amount equal to TUSD588,826.
“Volvo Cars Preference Subscription Investment” means the purchase of the Volvo Cars Preference Subscription Shares pursuant to the Volvo Cars Preference Subscription Agreement.
“Volvo Cars Preference Subscription Shares” means the mandatory convertible preference shares of the Company purchased by Snita pursuant to the Volvo Cars Preference Subscription Agreement.
5
PART I
ITEM 1. IDENTITY OF DIRECTORS, SENIOR MANAGEMENT AND ADVISERS
Not applicable.
ITEM 2. OFFER STATISTICS AND EXPECTED TIMETABLE
Not applicable.
ITEM 3. KEY INFORMATION
A. [Reserved]
B. Capitalization and Indebtedness
Not applicable.
C. Reasons for the Offer and Use of Proceeds
Not applicable.
D. Risk Factors
Overview of Risk Factors
Polestar’s business faces significant risks and uncertainties. You should carefully consider all of the information set forth in this Report and in other documents we file with or furnish to the SEC, including the following risk factors, before deciding to invest in or to maintain an investment in Polestar’s securities. Polestar’s business, as well as Polestar’s reputation, financial condition, results of operations and share price, could be materially adversely affected by any of these risks, as well as other risks and uncertainties not currently known to Polestar or not currently considered material. These risks include, among others, the following:
Risks Related to Polestar’s Business and Industry, such as, Polestar’s future growth and financial performance depends on the production and sale of its current and new vehicle models on an anticipated timeline and within an anticipated cost and pricing structure; Polestar’s ability to generate meaningful product revenue will depend on consumer adoption of electric vehicles; Polestar’s operations rely on its strategic partners, including Geely and Volvo Cars, and on key suppliers, including for manufacturing vehicles, research and development, intellectual property, engineering and logistics; Polestar is dependent on its strategic partners and suppliers, some of which are single-source suppliers; the success of Polestar’s business and its future financial performance are dependent on cost-cutting and strategic initiatives; Polestar may be unable to adequately control or predict the substantial costs associated with its operations; the success and growth of Polestar’s business depends upon its ability to continuously and rapidly innovate, develop and market new products and there are significant risks related to future market adoption of Polestar’s products; Polestar operates in an intensely competitive market, which is generally cyclical and volatile; Polestar’s business and prospects depend significantly on the Polestar brand; Polestar’s sales depend in part on its ability to establish and maintain confidence in its business prospects among consumers, analysts and others within its industry; the automotive industry has significant barriers to entry that Polestar must overcome in order to manufacture and sell electric vehicles at scale; Polestar’s future growth and financial performance are dependent on it meeting its ability to generate positive cash flow from its operations and to raise the necessary capital to fund its business plan and service its debt obligations; certain covenants in our debt agreements may restrict our operating activities; Polestar relies on the development of vehicle charging networks to provide charging solutions for its vehicles; Polestar relies on its strategic partners for servicing its vehicles and on their systems, such as dealer management systems and diagnostic tools; if Polestar’s vehicles fail to perform as expected, its ability to develop, market and sell or lease its products could be harmed; Polestar may become subject to product liability claims, which could harm its financial condition and liquidity if it is not able to successfully defend or insure against such claims; uninsured losses, including losses resulting from product liability, accidents, acts of God and other claims against Polestar, could result in payment of substantial damages, which would decrease Polestar’s cash reserves and could harm its cash flow and financial condition; Polestar must develop complex software and technology systems, including in coordination with its strategic partners, vendors and suppliers, in order to produce its electric vehicles; Polestar faces risks associated with international operations, including tariffs and unfavorable regulatory, political, tax and labor conditions; Polestar’s success depends on the success of its current and future partnerships, which could be adversely affected by its lack of sole decision-making authority and the actions of its co-owners or partners; the Chinese government may intervene in or influence Polestar’s and Polestar’s partners’ operations in China at any time, which could result in a material change in Polestar’s operations and ability to produce vehicles and significantly and adversely impact the value of Polestar’s securities; compliance with China’s new Data Security Law, Cybersecurity Review Measures (revised draft for public consultation), Personal Information Protection Law, regulations and guidelines relating to the multi-level protection scheme and any other future laws and regulations may entail significant expenses and could materially affect Polestar’s business; Polestar may be adversely affected by the complexity, uncertainties and changes in the regulations on internet-related business, automotive business and other business carried out by Polestar’s operating entities in China; Polestar relies heavily on manufacturing facilities and suppliers based in China, including single-source suppliers; if Polestar updates or discontinues the use of its manufacturing equipment more quickly than expected, it may have to shorten the useful lives of any equipment to be retired as a result of any such update; Polestar’s main distribution approach is different from the currently predominant distribution model for automakers, and its long-term viability is unproven; insufficient reserves to cover future warranty or part replacement needs or other vehicle repair requirements, including any potential software upgrades, could have a material and adverse effect on Polestar; Polestar may be unable to offer attractive leasing and financing options for its current vehicle models and future vehicles, which would
adversely affect consumer demand for its vehicles; Polestar is subject to risks associated with advanced driver assistance system technology; developments in electric vehicle or alternative fuel technology or improvements in the internal combustion engine may adversely affect the demand for Polestar’s vehicles; extended periods of low gasoline or other petroleum-based fuel prices could adversely affect our business, prospects, results of operations and financial condition; changes in foreign currency rates, interest rate risks, or inflation could materially affect Polestar’s results of operations; Polestar’s facilities or operations could be and have been adversely affected by events outside of its control; a global economic recession or other downturn may have a disproportionately adverse impact on Polestar; the ongoing conflicts between Russia and Ukraine, in Israel and the Gaza Strip, and in the Red Sea have, and are likely to continue to, generate uncertain geopolitical conditions.
Risks Related to Cybersecurity and Data Privacy, such as, Polestar relies on its and Volvo Cars’ IT systems and third-party consultants; any unauthorized control or manipulation of Polestar’s products, digital sales tools and systems could result in loss of confidence in Polestar and its products; data privacy concerns are generally increasing, which could result in new legislation, in negative public perception of Polestar’s current data collection practices and certain of its services or technologies and/or in changing user behaviors that negatively affect Polestar’s business and product development plans; Polestar is subject to evolving laws, regulations, standards, policies and contractual obligations related to data privacy, security and consumer protection.
Risks Related to Polestar’s Employees and Human Resources, such as, Polestar’s ability to effectively manage its growth relies on the performance of highly skilled personnel, including its Chief Executive Officer, Thomas Ingenlath, its senior management team and other key employees; Polestar’s management team has limited experience managing a public company; Polestar’s manufacturing partners will need to hire and train a significant number of employees to engage in full-scale operational and commercial operations; misconduct by Polestar’s employees and independent contractors during and before their employment with Polestar could expose Polestar to potentially significant legal liabilities, reputational harm and/or other damages to its business.
Risks Related to Litigation and Regulation, such as, Polestar is subject to evolving laws and regulations that could impose substantial costs, legal prohibitions or unfavorable changes upon its operations or products; Polestar may in the future be subject to legal proceedings, regulatory disputes and governmental inquiries that could cause it to incur significant expenses, divert its management’s attention and materially harm its business, results of operations, cash flows and financial condition; Polestar’s manufacturing partners may be exposed to delays, limitations and risks related to the environmental permits and other operating permits required to operate manufacturing facilities for its vehicles; Polestar and its manufacturing partners are and will be subject to various environmental, health and safety laws and regulations that could impose substantial costs on it and cause delays in expanding its production capabilities; Polestar is and will be subject to anti-corruption, anti-bribery, anti-money laundering, financial and economic sanctions and similar laws, and noncompliance with such laws can subject Polestar to administrative, civil and criminal penalties, collateral consequences, remedial measures and legal expenses; the unavailability, reduction, elimination or the conditionality of certain government and economic programs could have a material and adverse effect on Polestar’s business, prospects, financial condition and results of operations; if Polestar’s estimates or judgments relating to its critical accounting policies are based on assumptions that change or prove to be incorrect, Polestar’s results of operations could fall below expectations of securities analysts and investors, resulting in a decline in the market price of its ordinary shares; although the audit report included in this Report is prepared by auditors who are currently inspected fully by the US PCAOB, there is no guarantee that future audit reports will be prepared by auditors that are completely inspected by the PCAOB.
Risks Related to Intellectual Property, such as, much of the intellectual property pertaining to Polestar’s vehicles is owned by Volvo Cars and Geely and licensed, in some cases on a non-exclusive basis, to Polestar; Polestar may fail to adequately obtain, maintain, enforce and protect relevant intellectual property and licensing rights, and may not be able to prevent third parties from unauthorized use of such intellectual property and related technology; Polestar uses other parties’ software and other intellectual property in its proprietary software, including “open source” software; Polestar may become subject to claims of intellectual property infringement by third parties which, regardless of merit, could be time-consuming and costly and result in significant legal liability, and could negatively impact Polestar’s business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.
Risks Related to Tax, such as, unanticipated tax laws, changes in the application or interpretation of existing tax laws to Polestar or Polestar’s customers, changes to tax rates or challenges to Polestar's tax positions may adversely impact its profitability and business; transfers of ADSs or the underlying Company securities may be subject to stamp duty or stamp duty reserve tax in the U.K., which would increase the cost of dealing in the Company’s securities; the Company may be classified as a passive foreign investment company for U.S. federal income tax purposes, which could result in adverse U.S. federal income tax consequences to U.S. Holders of Class A ADSs; as a result of the Business Combination, the IRS may not agree that the Company is a foreign corporation for U.S. federal tax purposes; Polestar may be unable to utilize certain of its deferred tax assets, which could increase its future tax expenses.
Risks Related to Financing and Strategy Transactions, such as, Polestar will require additional capital to support business growth, and this capital might not be available on commercially reasonable terms, or at all; Polestar’s financial results may vary significantly from period to period due to fluctuations in its operating costs, product demand and other factors.
Risks Related to Ownership of Polestar’s Securities, such as, the market price and trading volumes of the ADSs may be volatile and could significantly decline; the grant and future exercise of registration rights may adversely affect the market price of the ADSs; the Class C ADSs will be exercisable for the Class A ADSs, which would increase the number of ADSs eligible for future resale in the public market and result in dilution to its shareholders; there is no guarantee that the Class C ADSs will ever be in the money, and they may expire worthless; Polestar may redeem unexpired Class C-1 ADSs prior to their exercise at a time that is disadvantageous to holders, thereby making their Class C-1 ADSs worthless; Polestar may issue additional equity securities or convertible debt securities without the approval of the holders of the ADSs; Nasdaq may not continue to list the Class A ADSs and Class C-1 ADSs, which could limit investors’ ability to make transactions in the Company’s securities and subject the Company to additional trading restrictions; the requirements of being a public company may strain Polestar’s resources and distract its management; Polestar is a foreign private issuer within the meaning of the rules under the Exchange Act and, as such, it is exempt from certain provisions applicable to United States domestic public companies; as Polestar is a foreign private issuer and follows certain home country corporate governance practices, its shareholders may not have the same protections afforded to shareholders of companies that are subject to all of Nasdaq’s requirements; Polestar may lose its foreign private issuer status in the future, which could result in significant additional costs and
expenses; Polestar has identified material weaknesses in its internal control over financial reporting, and if Polestar is unable to remediate these material weaknesses or identifies additional material weaknesses, it could lead to errors in Polestar’s financial reporting; Polestar has identified material weaknesses in its internal control over financial reporting, and if Polestar fails to develop and maintain an effective system of internal control over financial reporting, it may be unable to accurately report its financial results or prevent fraud; the restatement of our annual financial statements in 2021 and 2022 in this Form 20-F has subjected us to additional risks and uncertainties; Polestar’s dual-class voting structure may limit your ability to influence corporate matters and could discourage others from pursuing any change of control transactions that holders of the Company securities or ADSs may view as beneficial; the U.K. City Code on Takeovers and Mergers, or the Takeover Code, may apply to Polestar; if securities or industry analysts do not publish research, publish inaccurate or unfavorable research or cease publishing research about Polestar, the ADS trading prices and trading volumes could decline significantly; you may face difficulties in protecting your interests, and your ability to protect your rights through U.S. courts may be limited, because Polestar is incorporated under the laws of England and Wales, because Polestar conducts substantially all of its operations outside of the United States and a majority of Polestar’s directors and executive officers reside outside of the United States; it is not expected that Polestar will pay dividends in the foreseeable future; Polestar has granted, and anticipates granting additional, share-based incentives, which may result in increased share-based compensation expenses; holders of ADSs have fewer rights than direct holders of the Company securities and must act through the Depositary to exercise their rights, and the voting rights of holders of ADSs are limited by the terms of the Deposit Agreements; the Depositary for the ADSs will give Polestar a discretionary proxy to vote the Company securities underlying the ADSs if the holders of such ADSs do not give timely voting instructions to the Depositary, except in limited circumstances, which could adversely affect the interests of holders of the ADSs; the Polestar Articles and the Deposit Agreements provide that the federal district courts of the United States of America will be the exclusive forum for resolving any complaint asserting a cause of action arising under the Securities Act and the Exchange Act and that certain claims may only be instituted in the courts of England and Wales, which could limit the ability of security holders of Polestar to choose a favorable judicial forum for disputes with Polestar or Polestar’s directors, officers or employees; an ADS holder’s right to pursue claims against the Depositary is limited by the terms of the Deposit Agreements; ADS holders may not be entitled to a jury trial with respect to claims arising under the Deposit Agreements, which could result in less favorable results to the plaintiff(s) in any such action; the Depositary for the ADSs is entitled to charge holders fees for various services; the ADS holders may not receive dividends or other distributions of the Company securities and the holders thereof may not receive any value for them, if it is illegal or impractical to make them available to such holders; holders of ADSs may be subject to limitations on transfer of their ADSs; the Company may be subject to securities litigation.
Risks Related to Polestar’s Business and Industry
Polestar’s future growth and financial performance depends on the production and sale of its current and new vehicle models on an anticipated timeline and within an anticipated cost and pricing structure.
Polestar’s ability to meet its expectations of growth and financial performance depends on the production and sales of its current and new vehicle models on an anticipated timeline and within an anticipated cost and pricing structure. There are a number of risks inherent in the pursuit of such expectations, and—as discussed below—the occurrence of any combination of which could have a material, adverse effect on Polestar’s business, results of operations and financial condition:
•risks relating to the production of Polestar’s current and new vehicle models, including potential delays in the production of new vehicle models, Polestar’s reliance on its strategic partners as contract manufacturers and for the provision and development of key components, technology and materials used in Polestar’s vehicles, and the availability and pricing of raw materials and components necessary for the production of Polestar’s vehicles;
•risks relating to the cost of production of Polestar’s current and future vehicle models and other expenses of the business and Polestar’s ability to manage such costs and expenses;
•Polestar’s ability to accurately forecast demand for its current and future vehicle models, which may, among other things, negatively impact profit margins; and
•customer acceptance of Polestar’s current and future vehicle models, which, in addition to directly impacting sales volumes, may impact both production volume commitments and pricing levels for Polestar’s vehicles and, as a result, profit margins.
As discussed below, if any combination of these risks were to occur, it could have a material and adverse effect on Polestar’s business, results of operations and financial condition.
Polestar (either directly or due to its third-party suppliers and partners) has experienced in the past, and may experience in the future, delays with regard to the development, design, manufacture and commercial release of its current and new models of vehicles. Production delays can be caused by a variety of factors, including increases in the cost of or a sustained interruption in the supply or shortage of materials. Any delays may have a materially negative impact on Polestar’s results of operations and financial condition.
The Polestar 3 vehicle model launched in late 2022 with production beginning in China in early 2024 and additional production expected in the United States in summer 2024. Production of the Polestar 4 model began in late 2023 and is expected to ramp up through 2024 and into 2025, when new production is expected to be added in South Korea. To the extent that production or production ramp-up of these new vehicle models or of the Polestar 2, which is currently in production, is delayed or reduced, including in the newest production facility in Charleston, South Carolina (which is owned and operated by Polestar’s manufacturing partners) or other future production facilities, Polestar’s revenues, cash flow and reputation would be adversely affected. Furthermore, Polestar relies on its strategic partners and suppliers for the provision and development of many of the key components, technology and materials used in its vehicles. To the extent Polestar’s strategic partners or suppliers experience any delays or capacity constraints in providing Polestar with or developing necessary components, technology and materials, Polestar could experience delays in delivering on its
timelines. Polestar may be able to establish alternate supply relationships and obtain or engineer replacement components for its vehicles, but it may be unable to do so quickly at prices or quality levels that are acceptable to it, or at all.
Customers’ acceptance and purchase of Polestar’s vehicles are critical components of its business. New Polestar models, including the recent Polestar 3 and Polestar 4 models, may not meet market expectations or be well-received by the market due to design, software or other characteristics, which could result in these vehicles penetrating the market at lower than expected rates and could ultimately lead to lower than expected sales volumes. Any negative third-party reviews of new Polestar models could have an adverse effect on consumer perception of these new models. In addition, if the average selling price for new models is below expectations, Polestar may be unable to meet its revenue, cash flow or gross margin expectations. As an SUV, the Polestar 3 is especially critical for the US market given its associated margin opportunity and the demand for SUVs in the US. Polestar has previously experienced lower than expected demand in the US and it could continue to do so. Additionally, Polestar’s sales volumes in the US market could be negatively impacted by delays in the enactment of regulations that incentivize broader market shifts to electric vehicles.
Additionally, if Polestar fails to continue to sell the Polestar 2 at anticipated levels while sales of the Polestar 3 and Polestar 4 ramp-up, Polestar will be unable to meet its revenue and cash flow expectations. Any failure to meet revenue expectations from sales of the Polestar 2, Polestar 3 and Polestar 4 models or other new models could result in Polestar not meeting its gross margin and profitability expectations and could materially damage Polestar’s business, prospects, results of operations and financial condition.
Polestar has previously experienced cost overruns and may experience cost overruns again in the future. Higher than expected cost of goods sold could occur from a variety of factors—including, but not limited to, unexpected increases in prices of raw materials; the pricing/availability of supplies and components (e.g. battery cells); higher than expected warranty claims; higher than expected equipment, freight and energy costs; reliance on third-party partner manufacturing and the imposition of new or increased customs duties, including those that could result from delays in production in the newest facilities that produce Polestar vehicles, located in Charleston, South Carolina and Busan, South Korea, which would require continued exports of vehicles from China. This may result in higher customs duties. Additionally, any increase in Polestar’s or its manufacturing partners’ labor costs as a result of union activity, pay increases to employees or otherwise, could result in increased overall costs to Polestar. Recent success achieved by auto workers unions using strikes may encourage additional labor organization and strikes across our industry, including at Polestar or its manufacturing partners, which could result in increased expenses and impact production. Polestar has also begun certain cost savings initiatives and it may be unable to achieve the planned cost efficiency savings. Any inability to mitigate cost overruns or to achieve anticipated cost savings would negatively impact Polestar’s financial performance.
Polestar’s future financial performance requires Polestar to accurately forecast demand for its vehicles. To the extent Polestar underestimates demand for its vehicles, Polestar’s strategic partners and suppliers may have inadequate manufacturing capacity and/or inventory, resulting in the interruption of manufacturing of Polestar’s products and possible delays in shipments and revenues. To the extent Polestar overestimates demand, Polestar may need to offer deeper discounts and experience greater than expected sales volumes of discounted vehicles. For example, Polestar’s competitors have recently cut prices for their models in order to address supply relative to weakening demand for electric vehicles, and Polestar may be forced to do the same in order to remain competitive. Overestimating vehicle demand could also lead to substantial expenses being incurred by Polestar should it be required to agree to minimum production volumes or purchase commitments, such as for batteries, with its manufacturing partners and suppliers and such minimum vehicle or component quantities not ultimately be produced or ordered.
If demand for electric vehicles continues to worsen, or remains weak for a sustained period of time, the electric vehicle industry, and Polestar’s financial performance specifically, could be materially and adversely affected. Polestar may also experience higher than expected advertising, sales and promotion costs or may be unable to effectively charge such costs to its customers, which could have negative effects on Polestar’s financial performance. An inaccurate forecast in demand for its products may also result in a negative shift in its product mix (e.g., vehicles sold with fewer options and trim levels, higher than expected sales volumes of lower-priced variants). Furthermore, Polestar may experience shifts in its sales channel mix, including, but not limited to, a higher number of lower-margin fleet sales than planned. It may also experience a shift in Polestar’s regional sales mix, especially lower than expected sales in the United States, which Polestar is currently experiencing. It has significantly written-down the value of inventory and may need to do so again in the future. If Polestar experiences fluctuations in the demand for its products that is not accurately forecasted, it may experience one or more of the impacts outlined above and its results of operations and financial condition may be negatively affected. Lower gross margin, in conjunction with higher than expected expenses (including, but not limited to, selling, general and administrative expenses and research and development expenses), among other factors, could ultimately lead to lower operating margin, cash flow and profitability as well.
Polestar’s ability to generate meaningful product revenue will depend on consumer adoption of electric vehicles. However, the market for electric vehicles is still evolving and changes in governmental programs incentivizing consumers to purchase electric vehicles, fluctuations in energy prices, the sustainability of electric vehicles and other regulatory changes might negatively impact adoption of electric vehicles by consumers. If the pace and depth of electric vehicle adoption develops more slowly than Polestar expects, its revenue may decline or fail to grow, and Polestar may be materially and adversely affected.
Polestar is only developing electric vehicles and, accordingly, its ability to generate meaningful product revenue will highly depend on sustained consumer demand for alternative fuel vehicles in general and electric vehicles in particular. If the market for electric vehicles does not develop as Polestar expects, develops more slowly than it expects, or if there is a decrease in consumer demand for electric vehicles, Polestar’s business, prospects, financial condition and results of operations will be harmed. The market for electric and other alternative fuel vehicles is relatively new and rapidly evolving and is characterized by rapidly changing technologies, price competition, additional competitors, evolving government regulations (including government incentives and subsidies) and industry
standards, frequent new vehicle announcements and changing consumer demands and behaviors. Any number of changes in the industry could negatively affect consumer demand for electric vehicles in general and Polestar’s electric vehicles in particular.
In addition, demand for electric vehicles may be affected by factors directly impacting automobile prices or the cost of purchasing and operating automobiles such as sales and financing incentives like tax credits, prices of raw materials and parts and components, cost of fuel or electricity, availability of consumer credit and governmental regulations, including tariffs, import regulation and other taxes. Volatility in demand may lead to lower vehicle unit sales, which may result in downward price pressure and adversely affect Polestar’s business, prospects, financial condition and results of operations. Further, sales of vehicles in the automotive industry tend to be cyclical in many markets, which may expose Polestar to increased volatility, especially as it expands and adjusts its operations and retail strategies. Specifically, it is uncertain how such macroeconomic factors will impact Polestar as a newer entrant in an industry that has globally been experiencing a recent decline in sales.
Other factors that may influence the adoption of electric vehicles include:
•perceptions about electric vehicle quality, safety, design, performance and cost;
•perceptions about the limited range over which electric vehicles may be driven on a single battery charge;
•perceptions about the total cost of ownership of electric vehicles, including the initial purchase price and operating and maintenance costs, both including and excluding the effect of government and other subsidies and incentives designed to promote the purchase of electric vehicles;
•concerns about electric grid capacity and reliability;
•perceptions about the sustainability and environmental and human rights impact of electric vehicles, including with respect to both the sourcing and disposal of materials for electric vehicle batteries and the generation of electricity provided in the electric grid;
•the availability of other alternative fuel vehicles, including plug-in hybrid electric vehicles;
•improvements in the fuel economy of the internal combustion engine;
•the quality and availability of service for electric vehicles, especially in international markets;
•volatility in the cost of oil, gasoline and electricity;
•government regulations and economic incentives promoting fuel efficiency and alternative forms of energy;
•access to charging stations and the cost to charge an electric vehicle, especially in international markets, and related infrastructure costs and standardization;
•the availability of tax and other governmental incentives to purchase and operate electric vehicles or future regulation requiring increased use of nonpolluting vehicles; and
•macroeconomic factors.
The influence of any of the factors described above or any other factors may cause a general reduction in consumer demand for electric vehicles or Polestar’s electric vehicles in particular, either of which would materially and adversely affect Polestar’s business, results of operations, financial condition and prospects.
Polestar’s operations rely on its strategic partners and on key suppliers, including for manufacturing vehicles, research and development, intellectual property, engineering and logistics.
Polestar depends on strategic partners and key suppliers for manufacturing its vehicles. Polestar employs an asset-light business model that utilizes contract manufacturing and supply arrangements primarily with Volvo Cars and Geely. Polestar believes this business model requires significantly less capital to produce vehicles and generate revenue compared to traditional manufacturers or other electric vehicle companies. However, the supplier agreements Polestar has or may enter into with key suppliers and its strategic partners in the future may have provisions where such agreements can be terminated in various circumstances, including potentially without cause. If these suppliers and strategic partners become unable to provide, or experience delays in providing components or technology, or if the supplier and related party agreements Polestar has in place are terminated, it may be difficult to find replacement components and technology. Additionally, if Polestar overestimates its requirements, its strategic partners or suppliers may have excess manufacturing capacity and/or inventory, which would indirectly increase Polestar’s costs as Polestar may pay for production capacities that reserved but will not be able to use, negatively impacting its gross margins and potentially affecting when Polestar will become profitable. Underestimation of such requirements could have a similarly material, adverse effect. Polestar also depends on its strategic partners to ensure that new production facilities are operational in the expected timeframe and with the expected capacity and quality standards. If Polestar underestimates its production requirements, its strategic partners and suppliers may have inadequate manufacturing capacity and/or inventory, which could interrupt manufacturing of its products and result in delays in shipments and revenues. In addition, lead times for materials and components that Polestar’s suppliers order may vary significantly and could depend on factors such as the specific supplier, contract terms and demand for each component at a given time. If Polestar fails to order sufficient quantities of product components in a timely manner, the delivery of vehicles to its customers could be delayed. If Polestar’s partners are unable to deliver necessary components of Polestar’s products on schedule or at quality levels and volumes acceptable to Polestar, or if Volvo Cars and Geely experience manufacturing delays beyond Polestar’s control, the production of Polestar’s vehicles
could be delayed. The underestimation of manufacturing requirements or failure to timely deliver vehicles would harm Polestar’s brand, business, prospects, results of operations and financial condition.
In addition, Polestar’s operations rely heavily on agreements and arrangements with strategic partners, including Volvo Cars and Geely, for research and development, intellectual property licensing, purchasing, manufacturing engineering and logistics. These agreements are described in more detail in this Report in Item 4.B “Information on the Company—Business Overview—Related Party Agreements with Volvo Cars and Geely” and Item 7.B “Major Shareholders and Related Party Transactions—Related Party Transactions.” Polestar’s reliance on these agreements subjects it to a number of significant risks, including the risk of being unable to operate as a standalone business, produce vehicles, enforce intellectual property rights or effectively defend against intellectual property infringement claims, reach its development and production targets or focus its efforts on core areas of differentiation. If Polestar is unable to maintain agreements or partnerships with its existing partners, providers or licensors, or to enter into new agreements or partnerships, Polestar’s ability to operate as a standalone business, produce vehicles, reach its development and production targets or focus its efforts on core areas of differentiation could be materially and adversely affected.
Polestar is dependent on its strategic partners and suppliers, some of which are single-source suppliers, and the inability of these strategic partners and suppliers to deliver necessary components of Polestar’s products on schedule and at prices, quality levels and volumes acceptable to Polestar, or Polestar’s inability to efficiently manage these components, could have a material and adverse effect on Polestar’s results of operations and financial condition.
Polestar relies on its strategic partners and suppliers for the provision and development of many of the key components and materials used in its vehicles. While Polestar plans to obtain components from multiple sources whenever possible, many of the components used in Polestar’s vehicles will be purchased by Polestar from a single source, and Polestar’s limited, and in many cases single-source, supply chain exposes it to multiple potential sources of delivery failure or component shortages for its production. Polestar’s suppliers may not be able to meet Polestar’s required product specifications and performance characteristics, which would impact Polestar’s ability to achieve its product specifications and performance characteristics as well. For example, Polestar’s ability to manufacture its vehicles will depend on the continued supply of battery cells for the battery packs used in its products. Polestar has limited flexibility in changing battery cell suppliers, and any disruption in the supply of battery cells from such suppliers could disrupt production of Polestar’s vehicles until a different supplier is fully qualified. In particular, Polestar is exposed to multiple risks relating to lithium-ion cells.
Additionally, Polestar’s suppliers may be unable to obtain required certifications or provide necessary warranties for their products that are necessary for use in Polestar’s vehicles. Polestar may also be impacted by changes in its supply chain or production needs, including cost increases from its suppliers, in order to meet its quality targets and development timelines as well as due to design changes. Likewise, any significant increases in its production may in the future require Polestar to procure additional components in a short amount of time. Polestar’s suppliers may not ultimately be able to sustainably and timely meet Polestar’s cost, quality and volume needs, requiring Polestar to replace them with other sources. If Polestar is unable to obtain suitable components and materials used in its vehicles from its suppliers or if its suppliers decide to create or supply a competing product, its business could be adversely affected. Further, if Polestar is unsuccessful in its efforts to control and reduce supplier costs, its results of operations will suffer.
In addition, Polestar could experience delays if its strategic partners and suppliers do not meet agreed upon timelines or experience capacity constraints. Any disruption in the supply of components, whether or not from a single source supplier, could temporarily disrupt production of Polestar’s vehicles until an alternative supplier is able to supply the required material, and there can be no guarantee that Polestar or its strategic partners will be able to make up for delays in production caused by any disruption in the supply of critical components. Even in cases where Polestar may be able to establish alternate supply relationships and obtain or engineer replacement components for its single source components, it may be unable to do so quickly, or at all, at prices or quality levels that are acceptable to it. This risk is heightened by the fact that Polestar has less negotiating leverage with suppliers than larger and more established automobile manufacturers, which could adversely affect its ability to obtain necessary components and materials on favorable pricing and other terms, or at all. Any of the foregoing could materially and adversely affect Polestar’s results of operations, financial condition and prospects. (See Item 3.D “—Increases in costs, disruption of supply or shortage of materials, in particular for lithium-ion cells or semiconductors, could harm Polestar’s business. Polestar will need to maintain and significantly grow its access to battery cells, including through the development and manufacture of its own cells, and control its related costs.”).
Furthermore, as the scale of its vehicle production increases, Polestar will need to accurately forecast, purchase, and arrange for warehouse and transport of components internationally to manufacturing facilities and servicing locations at much higher volumes. If Polestar is unable to accurately match the timing and quantities of component purchases to its actual needs or successfully implement automation, inventory management and other systems to accommodate the increased complexity in its supply chain, Polestar may incur unexpected production disruption, storage, transportation and write-off costs, which could have a material and adverse effect on its results of operations and financial condition.
In addition, as Polestar develops an international manufacturing footprint, it will face additional challenges with respect to international supply chain management and logistics costs. If Polestar is unable to access or develop localized supply chains in the regions where it or its partners already have or develop manufacturing facilities with the quality, costs and capabilities required, Polestar could be required to source components from distant suppliers, which would increase its logistics and manufacturing costs as well as greenhouse gas emissions, increase the risk and complexity of Polestar’s supply chain and significantly impair Polestar’s ability to develop cost-effective manufacturing operations, which could have a material and adverse effect on Polestar’s business including its sustainability goals, results of operations and financial condition.
Furthermore, unexpected changes in business conditions, materials pricing and/or availability, labor issues, wars, governmental changes, tariffs, natural disasters, health epidemics, and other factors beyond Polestar’s and its suppliers’ control could also affect these suppliers’ ability to deliver components to Polestar on a timely basis. For example, Polestar relies on single-source suppliers for critical components for Polestar vehicles, including single-source suppliers in Shanghai. The loss of a strategic partner or any supplier, particularly a single- or limited-source supplier, or the disruption in the supply of components from its strategic partners or suppliers, could lead to vehicle design changes, production delays, idle manufacturing facilities and potential loss of access to important technology and parts for producing, servicing and supporting Polestar’s vehicles, any of which could result in negative publicity, damage to its brand and a material and adverse effect on its business, prospects, results of operations and financial condition. In addition, if Polestar’s suppliers experience substantial financial difficulties, cease operations or otherwise face business disruptions, Polestar may be required to provide substantial financial support to ensure supply continuity, which could have an additional adverse effect on Polestar’s liquidity and financial condition.
The success of Polestar’s business and its future financial performance are dependent on cost-cutting and strategic initiatives Polestar is implementing to mitigate the significant costs and expenses associated with its business.
Polestar has incurred and expects to continue to incur significant costs and expenses in its operations and growth of its business, including those related to developing and manufacturing its vehicles, the use and possible malfunction or decommission of complex large-scale machinery, possible labor disputes or strikes, marketing and building its brand, raw material procurement costs and general and administrative costs. Polestar has made and expects to continue to make significant investments to design, research and develop, produce and market new vehicle models. Such investments can negatively affect Polestar’s profitability. Additionally, the revenues from new models may not be sufficient to recoup the costs and investments associated with their development and may impact Polestar’s ability to generate future cash flow.
Polestar is engaged in a variety of cost-cutting activities and strategic efficiency initiatives. Its objective is to reduce costs and improve operational efficiencies, realize productivity gains, distribution and logistical efficiencies and overhead reductions. In addition, Polestar expects to continue to restructure its operations as necessary to improve operational efficiency, including occasionally opening or closing offices, facilities or plants. The successful execution of cost-cutting initiatives will involve sourcing, logistics, technology and employment arrangements. Because these initiatives can be complex, there may be difficulties or delays in the implementation of any such initiatives and they may not be immediately effective, resulting in an adverse material impact on Polestar’s financial performance. It will also involve working with suppliers and partners to identify and generate efficiency who may be unwilling or unable to implement any initiatives. Gaining additional efficiencies may be difficult and will likely become increasingly difficult over time as Polestar’s asset-light business model limits opportunities to realize operational efficiencies. In addition, there is a risk that inflation and increased competition may reduce the efficiencies now available. Therefore, there can be no assurances that the efficiency and cost-cutting initiatives will be completed as planned or achieve the desired results. There may also be one-time and other costs and negative impacts relating to restructurings and anticipated cost savings, and Polestar’s strategies may not be implemented or may fail to achieve desired results.
In addition, prices and transportation expenses for materials fluctuate depending on many factors beyond Polestar’s control, including fluctuations in supply and demand, currency fluctuations, tariffs and taxes, fluctuations and shortages in petroleum supply, freight charges, and other economic and political factors. If Polestar is unable to generate anticipated cost savings, successfully implement its strategies or optimize its supply chain, it may not realize all anticipated operational and efficiency benefits and cost savings, which could adversely affect its business and long-term strategies. It could also require Polestar to use more of its cash and to seek new or additional financing sooner than expected or at an undesirable cost. These goals and strategies may not be implemented or may fail to achieve the desired results if we are unable to manage Polestar’s costs effectively. Profitability and cash flow could also suffer, which could also adversely affect Polestar’s business, financial condition and results of operations. Any attempts to increase the announced or expected prices of Polestar’s vehicles in response to increased costs could be viewed negatively by its customers or potential customers and could adversely affect Polestar’s business, prospects, financial condition or results of operations. In the event that these expenses are significantly higher than Polestar anticipates, Polestar could be required to seek additional financing earlier than it expects. If Polestar is unable to cost-efficiently develop, design, manufacture, market, sell, distribute and service its vehicles, its margins, profitability and prospects would be materially and adversely affected.
Polestar may be unable to adequately control or predict the substantial costs associated with its operations.
If Polestar does not enter into longer-term supplier agreements with guaranteed pricing for its parts or components, it may be exposed to fluctuations in prices of components, materials, labor and equipment. Agreements for the purchase of battery cells and other components contain or are likely to contain pricing provisions that are subject to adjustment based on changes in market prices of key commodities. Substantial increases in the prices for raw materials including lithium, cobalt and nickel for batteries, components, labor and equipment, whether due to supply chain or logistics issues or due to inflation or other economic conditions, would increase Polestar’s operating costs and could reduce its margins if it cannot recoup the increased costs.
Furthermore, Polestar’s ability to manufacture its vehicles depends on continuing access to various components. Any component shortages could negatively impact our results of operations. For example, a global semiconductor supply shortage previously had a wide-ranging impact on many automotive suppliers and manufacturers, including Polestar, that incorporate semiconductors into the parts they supply or manufacture. Polestar experienced an impact on its operations as a result of the semiconductor supply shortage. Any similar shortage regarding critical components, such as for example batteries, could in the future have a material impact on Polestar or its suppliers, which could delay production or force Polestar or its suppliers to pay exorbitant rates for continued access to such critical components and could have a material and adverse effect on Polestar’s business, prospects and results of operations.
Additionally, Polestar has certain minimum purchasing commitments to its manufacturing partners and suppliers. If Polestar is unable to meet these commitments, then Polestar’s manufacturing partners and suppliers may attempt to pass the costs associated with such commitments to Polestar.
The success and growth of Polestar’s business depends upon its ability to continuously and rapidly innovate, develop and market new products and there are significant risks related to future market adoption of Polestar’s products. Polestar’s limited operating history makes evaluating its business and future prospects difficult and may increase the risk of your investment.
The success and growth of Polestar’s business depends upon its ability, working with its strategic partners, to continuously and rapidly innovate, develop and market new products, and there are significant risks related to future market adoption of Polestar’s products and government programs incentivizing consumers to purchase electric vehicles. Polestar has a limited operating history and operates in a rapidly evolving and highly regulated market. Polestar has encountered and expects to continue to encounter risks and uncertainties frequently experienced by early-stage companies in rapidly changing markets, including risks relating to its ability to, among other things:
•successfully launch and scale-up commercial production and sales of its vehicles on the timing and with the specifications Polestar has planned;
•hire, integrate and retain professional and technical talent, including key members of management;
•continue to make significant investments in research, development, manufacturing, marketing and sales;
•successfully obtain, maintain, protect and enforce its intellectual property and defend against claims of intellectual property infringement, misappropriation or other violations;
•build a well-recognized and respected brand;
•establish and refine its commercial manufacturing capabilities and distribution infrastructure;
•establish and maintain satisfactory arrangements with its strategic partners and suppliers;
•establish and expand a customer base;
•navigate an evolving and complex regulatory environment;
•anticipate and adapt to changing market conditions, including consumer demand for certain vehicle types, models or trim levels, technological developments, as well as changes in competitive landscape; and
•successfully design, build, manufacture and market new models of electric vehicles, including in collaboration with its partners, providers, or licensors, in the future.
Polestar operates in an intensely competitive market, which is generally cyclical and volatile. Should Polestar not be able to compete effectively against its competitors then it is likely to lose market shares, which could have a material and adverse effect on the business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects of Polestar.
The global automotive market, particularly for electric and alternative fuel vehicles, is highly competitive, and Polestar expects it will become even more so in the future. In recent years, the electric vehicle industry has grown, with several companies that focus completely or partially on the electric vehicle market. Polestar expects additional companies to enter this market within the next several years. Polestar also competes with established automobile manufacturers in the luxury vehicle segment, many of which have entered or have announced plans to enter the alternative fuel and electric vehicle market with either fully electric or plug-in hybrid versions of their vehicles, and Polestar also expects to compete for sales with luxury vehicles with internal combustion engines from established manufacturers. Many of Polestar’s current and potential competitors have significantly greater financial, technical, manufacturing, marketing and other resources than Polestar does and may be able to devote greater resources to the design, development, manufacturing, distribution, promotion, sale, servicing and support of their products. In addition, many of these companies have longer operating histories, greater name recognition, larger and more established sales forces, broader customer and industry relationships and other resources than Polestar does. Polestar’s competitors may be in a stronger position to respond quickly to new technologies and may be able to design, develop, market and sell their products more effectively than it does. Polestar expects competition in its industry to significantly intensify in the future in light of increased demand for alternative fuel vehicles, continuing globalization, favorable governmental policies and consolidation in the worldwide automotive industry. Polestar’s ability to successfully compete in its industry will be fundamental to its future success in existing and new markets. Further, sales of vehicles in the automotive industry tend to be cyclical in many markets, which may expose Polestar to further volatility as it expands and adjusts its operations. Increases in the retail or wholesale prices of electricity from utilities or other renewable energy sources could make Polestar’s products less attractive to customers. There can be no assurance that Polestar will be able to compete successfully in its markets.
Polestar’s business and prospects depend significantly on the Polestar brand. If Polestar is unable to maintain and enhance its brand and capture additional market share or if its reputation and business are harmed, it could have a material and adverse impact on Polestar’s business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.
Polestar’s business and prospects heavily depend on its ability to develop, maintain and strengthen the “Polestar” brand associated with design, sustainability and technological excellence. Promoting and positioning its brand depend significantly on Polestar’s ability to provide a consistently high-quality customer experience. To promote its brand, Polestar may be required to change its customer
development and branding practices, which could result in substantially increased expenses, including the need to use traditional media such as television, radio and print advertising. In particular, any negative publicity, whether or not true, can quickly proliferate on social media and harm consumer perception and confidence in Polestar’s brand. Polestar’s ability to successfully position its brand could also be adversely affected by perceptions about the quality of its competitors’ vehicles or its competitors’ success. For example, certain of Polestar’s competitors have been subject to significant scrutiny for incidents involving their self-driving technology and battery fires, which could result in similar scrutiny of Polestar. Furthermore, as Polestar launches new vehicles, particularly those based on new architectural platforms or incorporating new technologies, it may experience unusually high numbers of quality issues, customer complaints and/or warranty claims, which may cause lasting harm to the Polestar brand.
In addition, from time to time, Polestar’s vehicles may be evaluated and reviewed by third parties. Any negative reviews or reviews which compare Polestar unfavorably to competitors could adversely affect consumer perception about its vehicles and reduce demand for its vehicles, which could have a material and adverse effect on Polestar’s business, results of operations, prospects and financial condition.
Polestar’s sales depend in part on its ability to establish and maintain confidence in its business prospects among consumers, analysts and others within its industry.
Consumers may be less likely to purchase Polestar’s products if they do not believe that its business will succeed or that its operations, including service and customer support operations, will continue for many years. Similarly, suppliers and other third parties will be less likely to invest time and resources in developing business relationships with Polestar if they are not convinced that its business will succeed. Accordingly, to build, maintain and grow its business, Polestar must establish and maintain confidence among customers, suppliers, analysts and other parties with respect to its liquidity and business prospects. Maintaining such confidence may be particularly difficult as a result of many factors, including Polestar’s limited operating history, others’ unfamiliarity with its products, uncertainty regarding the future of electric vehicles, any delays in scaling production, delivery and service operations to meet demand, competition and Polestar’s production and sales performance compared with market expectations. Many of these factors are largely outside of Polestar’s control, and any negative perceptions about Polestar’s business prospects, even if exaggerated or unfounded, would likely harm its business and make it more difficult to raise additional capital in the future. In addition, a significant number of new electric vehicle companies have recently entered the automotive industry, which is an industry that has historically been associated with significant barriers to entry and a high rate of failure. If these new entrants or other manufacturers of electric vehicles go out of business, produce vehicles that do not perform as expected or otherwise fail to meet expectations, such failures may have the effect of increasing scrutiny of others in the industry, including Polestar, and further challenging customer, supplier and analyst confidence in Polestar’s business prospects.
The automotive industry has significant barriers to entry that Polestar must overcome in order to manufacture and sell electric vehicles at scale.
The automobile industry is characterized by significant barriers to entry, including large capital requirements, investment costs of developing, designing, manufacturing and distributing vehicles, long lead times to bring vehicles to market from the concept and design stage, the need for specialized design and development expertise, regulatory requirements, competition from established companies with large patent portfolios and the need to establish a brand name and image and sales and service locations. Since Polestar is focused on electric vehicles, it faces a variety of added challenges to entry that a traditional automobile manufacturer would not encounter, including additional costs of developing and producing an electric powertrain that has comparable performance to a traditional gasoline engine in terms of range and power, limited experience with servicing electric vehicles, regulations associated with the transport of batteries, the need for markets to establish or provide access to sufficient charging locations and unproven high-volume customer demand for fully electric vehicles. If Polestar is not able to overcome these barriers, its business, prospects, results of operations and financial condition will be negatively impacted, and its ability to grow its business will be harmed.
Polestar’s future growth and financial performance are dependent on it meeting its ability to generate positive cash flow from its operations and to raise the necessary capital to fund its business plan and service its debt obligations.
Polestar has incurred net losses each year since its inception. If Polestar is unable to raise additional funds through equity and debt financings, or other means when needed, it may be required to delay, limit, reduce, or, in the worst case, discontinue the production and sale of its vehicles as well as research and development and commercialization efforts and may not be able to fund continuing operations, all of which could adversely impact Polestar’s business, results of operation and financial condition. Polestar has in the past and expects to continue to accumulate a cash flow deficit until at least 2025. Despite the loan facilities provided by Volvo Cars, Geely Holding and external lending institutions in late 2023 and early 2024, Polestar continues to require a substantial amount of additional incremental capital to fund its business plan into 2025. To the extent Polestar raises additional capital through the sale of equity or convertible debt securities, the ownership interest of its shareholders may be diluted, and the terms of such securities may include liquidation or other preferences that adversely affect the rights of its existing shareholders. Debt financing, if available, may involve agreements that include covenants limiting or restricting Polestar’s ability to take specific actions, such as incurring additional debt, making capital expenditures, or declaring dividends. Any financing arrangements may require the payment of higher interest or preferred dividends, which will impact cash retention. If Polestar is unable to raise additional funds through equity and debt financings, or other means when needed, it may be required to delay, limit, reduce, or, in the worst case, discontinue the production and sale of its vehicles, as well as related research and development and commercialization efforts, and may not be able to fund continuing operations, all of which could have a material adverse effect on Polestar’s business, results of operations and financial condition. There can be no assurance that Polestar will be able to raise the additional funding it expects to need or on commercially attractive terms, or at all. Furthermore, considering Volvo Cars’ announcement in February 2024 that it will not provide further
funding to Polestar, Polestar may be more reliant on Geely for either direct bilateral support, or for Geely to participate in public offerings of debt or equity securities.
Polestar’s future growth and financial performance envisions Polestar introducing and growing additional revenue streams, including those relating to used car sales, aftermarket sales/services, technology licensing and revenue from financing. For example, Polestar is cooperating with Volvo Cars to develop their service center network, including the introduction of digital service booking, fault tracing, diagnostics and software download (Over-the-Air and in workshop). If Polestar fails to realize revenue from these possible additions to its business or fails to realize such revenue at the expected levels, its cash flows and profitability may be negatively impacted.
If Polestar’s product development or commercialization is delayed, its cash flow generation may also be delayed and its costs and expenses may be significantly higher than it currently expects. Because Polestar will incur the costs and expenses from these efforts before it receives any incremental revenues with respect thereto, Polestar expects its losses in future periods may be significant. There is no assurance that the business will generate positive cash flow in the future.
Polestar could also experience adverse effects from making incorrect assumptions about important cash flow items. Such adverse effects could include, but are not limited to, the following: (i) a need for additional working capital due to, among other reasons, higher than expected inventory days and a lack of availability of trade finance facilities; (ii) higher than expected capital expenditures related to new vehicle development; (iii) unexpected decreases in cash flow from financing activities, which could be the result of, among other factors, an inability to roll over one or more of the working capital facilities with Chinese banking partners in 2024 or 2025; (iv) an inability to refinance its existing indebtedness; or (v) an inability to raise additional financing in 2024, which would ultimately result in continued use of the China-based working capital facilities for longer than expected and until they can be gradually refinanced, and such facilities may not be available on commercially reasonable terms, or at all.
The deficits that Polestar has incurred, and may continue to incur in the future, fluctuate significantly from period to period; thus, even if Polestar achieves positive cash flow from its operations, it may not be able to sustain or increase such positive cash flow on a quarterly or annual basis. If Polestar is unable to generate positive cash flow from operations and raise the necessary capital to fund its business plans and service its debt obligations, Polestar may not have sufficient resources to conduct its business as projected and may have to discontinue or delay the research and development, production and sale of its vehicles or reduce its operating expenses, each of which could result in a material, adverse effect on Polestar’s business, results of operations and financial condition.
Additionally, Polestar’s international operations require cash to be held in various subsidiaries to meet minimum equity requirements. Polestar is a holding company without any direct operations and has no significant assets other than its ownership interest in Polestar Sweden and the proceeds from any equity or debt financings. Accordingly, Polestar’s ability to pay dividends will depend upon the financial condition, liquidity and results of operations of, and Polestar’s receipt of dividends, loans or other funds from, Polestar Sweden and its subsidiaries. Polestar’s subsidiaries are separate and distinct legal entities and have no obligation to make funds available to Polestar. In addition, there are various statutory, regulatory and contractual limitations and business considerations on the extent, if any, to which Polestar’s subsidiaries may pay dividends, make loans or otherwise provide funds to Polestar.
Notably, in Sweden, the board of directors of Polestar Performance AB, Polestar’s main group operating company, is required to immediately prepare and cause the company’s auditors to review a balance sheet for liquidation purposes if there are reasons to believe that the company’s shareholders’ equity is less than one-half of the registered share capital. Polestar Sweden’s equity level is constantly monitored, and it periodically requires equity injections from Polestar. There is a risk that Polestar’s asset light business model in combination with applicable minimum equity requirements requires more cash to be deployed than otherwise would be the case and that cash will be allocated in a manner that is not optimal for the business operations. Additionally, once cash has been contributed as equity, the cash is trapped insofar that is cannot be freely transferred back to the group company contributing the funds. If cash is trapped in parts of the Polestar group and cannot be used for the group’s operations or be freely repatriated, or there is simply insufficient cash to meet the applicable minimum equity requirement, it may harm Polestar’s operations and financial condition. For more information, see Item 5.B “Operating and Financial Review and Prospects—Liquidity and capital resources.”
Polestar requires additional funding and has determined there is substantial doubt about its ability to continue as a going concern.
Polestar’s audited consolidated financial statements were prepared assuming that Polestar will continue as a going concern. However, there is substantial doubt about its ability to continue as a going concern, meaning that Polestar may not be able to continue in operation for the foreseeable future or be able to realize assets and discharge liabilities in the ordinary course of operations. Polestar needs to raise additional funds through the issuance of new debt, equity securities, or otherwise in order to support its current operations, liquidity needs, and business growth. There is no assurance that sufficient financing will be available when needed to allow Polestar to continue as a going concern. The perception that Polestar may not be able to continue as a going concern may also make it more difficult to raise additional funds or operate Polestar’s business due to concerns about its ability to meet contractual obligations.
Based on current operating plans, availability of short-term and long-term debt financing arrangements, and continued financial support from existing Polestar shareholders, Polestar believes that it has resources to fund its operations for at least the next twelve months. However, Polestar will require additional funds to finance its activities thereafter and expects to consider various financing alternatives with banks and other third parties. For more information, see "—Risks Related to Polestar's Business and Industry—Polestar’s future growth and financial performance are dependent on it meeting its ability to generate positive cash flow from its operations and to raise the necessary capital to fund its business plan and service its debt obligations” and Item 5.B “Operating and Financial Review and Prospects—Liquidity and capital resources.”
Certain covenants in our debt agreements may restrict our operating activities, which may adversely affect our financial condition.
Our multicurrency green trade facility with BNP Paribas, Natixis, Standard Chartered Bank, Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria, the Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation, Shanghai Pudong Development Bank Co., Credit Agricole Corporate and Investment Bank, CitiBank, China Bohai Bank, China Zheshang Bank, Mizuho Bank, and MUFG Bank, entered into on February 22, 2024, contains certain covenants, including maintenance and performance covenants,limiting or restricting Polestar’s ability to take certain actions and requiring Polestar to meet certain minimum revenue thresholds. These covenants may limit our operational flexibility and our investment activities. Moreover, if we breach any of the covenants in this facilities agreement, and such breach is not waived or remedied within the applicable remedy period, Polestar’s obligations may be accelerated. While Polestar received a waiver under its $950 million syndicated loan facilities for failing to timely file this Annual Report on Form 20-F, there can be no assurance that further waivers would be granted by lenders in the event of future covenant breaches. Any default under this facilities agreement may have a material adverse effect on our financial condition, results of operations, ability to meet our obligations, and value of Polestar’s securities.
Polestar relies on the development of vehicle charging networks to provide charging solutions for its vehicles.
Demand for Polestar’s vehicles depends in part on the availability of charging infrastructure. While the prevalence of charging stations has been increasing, charging station locations are significantly less widespread than gas stations. Some potential customers may choose not to purchase an electric vehicle because of the lack of a more widespread service network or charging infrastructure at the time of sale. Polestar’s ability to generate customer loyalty and grow its business could be impaired by a lack of satisfactory access to charging infrastructure. To the extent Polestar is unable to meet user expectations or experiences difficulties in providing charging solutions, demand for its vehicles may suffer, and Polestar’s reputation and business may be materially and adversely affected.
Polestar relies on its strategic partners for servicing its vehicles and on their systems, such as dealer management systems and diagnostic tools. If Polestar or its strategic partners are unable to adequately address the service requirements of its customers or if Polestar is unable to expand its servicing capabilities, Polestar’s business, prospects, financial condition and results of operations may be materially and adversely affected.
Because of Polestar’s unique expertise with its vehicles, Polestar recommends that its vehicles be serviced by its strategic partners. Polestar’s strategic partners have limited experience servicing or repairing Polestar vehicles. This risk is enhanced by Polestar’s limited operating history and its limited data regarding its vehicles’ real-world reliability and service requirements. Servicing electric vehicles is different than servicing vehicles with internal combustion engines and requires specialized skills, including high voltage training and servicing techniques. As such, there can be no assurance that Polestar’s service arrangements adequately address the service requirements of its customers to their satisfaction, or that Polestar and its servicing partners have sufficient resources, experience or inventory to meet these service requirements in a timely manner as the volume of vehicles Polestar delivers increases. If Polestar’s strategic partners experience delays in servicing Polestar’s vehicles efficiently, or experience unforeseen issues with the reliability of Polestar’s vehicles, it could overburden servicing capabilities and parts inventory. In addition, if Polestar is unable to establish a widespread service network that provides satisfactory customer service, its customer loyalty, brand and reputation could be adversely affected, which in turn could materially and adversely affect its sales, results of operations, prospects and financial condition.
In addition, the motor vehicle industry laws in many jurisdictions require that service facilities be available to service vehicles physically sold from locations in the state. While Polestar anticipates developing a service program that would satisfy regulatory requirements in these circumstances, the specifics of its service program are still in development, and at some point may need to be restructured to comply with state law, which may impact Polestar’s business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.
Furthermore, in some jurisdictions, pursuant to applicable competition laws, Polestar may be regarded as a competitor of its strategic partners in relation to servicing vehicles. Therefore, Polestar and its strategic partners’ sales units in those markets will be subject to strict controls over the sharing of commercially sensitive information and anti-cartel requirements that can result in reduced coordination with respect to providing servicing to customers, which in turn could have a material and adverse effect on Polestar’s sales, results of operations, prospects and financial condition.
Polestar’s customers will also depend on Polestar’s customer support team to resolve technical and operational issues relating to the integrated software underlying its vehicles. As Polestar grows, additional pressure may be placed on its customer support team or partners, and Polestar may be unable to respond quickly enough to accommodate short-term increases in customer demand for technical support. Polestar also may be unable to change the manner and delivery of its technical support to compete with changes in the technical support provided by its competitors. Increased customer demand for support, without corresponding revenue, could increase costs and negatively affect Polestar’s results of operations. If Polestar is unable to successfully address the service requirements of its customers, or if it establishes a market perception that it does not maintain high-quality support, its brand and reputation could be adversely affected, and it may be subject to claims from its customers, which could result in loss of revenue or damages, and its business, results of operations, prospects and financial condition could be materially and adversely affected.
If Polestar’s vehicles fail to perform as expected, its ability to develop, market and sell or lease its products could be harmed.
Polestar’s vehicles may contain defects in components, software, design or manufacture that may cause them not to perform as expected or that may require repairs, recalls and design changes, any of which would require significant financial and other resources to successfully navigate and resolve. Polestar has issued a number of recalls of its vehicles and expects more will be issued in the future. Polestar’s vehicles use a substantial amount of software code to operate, and software products are inherently complex and may contain defects and errors and subject Polestar to licensing restrictions and conditions. In addition, certain components used by Polestar were originally developed for use in vehicles with internal combustion engines, and thus may not offer a similar or
satisfactory level of performance in Polestar’s electric vehicles. If Polestar’s vehicles contain defects in design and manufacture that cause them not to perform as expected or that require repair, or certain features of Polestar’s vehicles take longer than expected to become available, are legally restricted or become subject to additional regulation, Polestar’s ability to develop, market and sell its products and services could be harmed. Efforts to remedy any issues Polestar observes in its products could significantly distract management’s attention from other important business objectives, may not be timely, may hamper production or may not be to the satisfaction of its customers. Further, Polestar’s limited operating history and limited field data reduce its ability to evaluate and predict the long-term quality, reliability, durability and performance characteristics of its battery packs, powertrains and vehicles. There can be no assurance that Polestar will be able to detect and fix any defects in its products prior to their sale or lease to customers.
Any defects, delays or legal restrictions on vehicle features, or other failure of Polestar’s vehicles to perform as expected, could harm Polestar’s reputation and result in delivery delays, product recalls, product liability claims, breach of warranty claims and significant warranty and other expenses, and could have a material and adverse impact on Polestar’s business, results of operations, prospects and financial condition. Examples of some of Polestar’s recalls were due to (i) a risk of certain high voltage battery cells overheating when the battery is fully charged, which could lead to a thermal event inside the battery, increasing the risk of fire, (ii) the defective production of seatbelts which could result in the early activation of the locking feature used to tightly secure a child restraint system, (iii) headlamps adjusting at too high an angle which could result in excessive glare for oncoming traffic, (iv) a software error causing an internal reset in the battery energy control module, resulting in the control unit opening the high voltage connectors during driving (which has caused two recalls), (v) a supplier design issue known as “tin whiskers,” which caused a short circuit inside the front and rear inverters, (vi) an error resulting in displayed velocity of the vehicle being lower than the actual velocity, and (vii) an incorrect message shown on display when the vehicle is placed in reverse mode. Product recalls in the future may result in litigation and adverse publicity and may damage Polestar’s reputation and adversely affect its business, prospects, results of operations and financial condition. For example, the battery packs that Polestar utilizes make use of lithium-ion cells. On rare occasions, lithium-ion cells can rapidly release the energy they contain by venting smoke and flames in a manner that can ignite nearby materials as well as other lithium-ion cells. Any such events or failures of Polestar’s vehicles, battery packs or warning systems could subject it to lawsuits, product recalls or redesign efforts, all of which would be time consuming and expensive.
In the future, Polestar may, voluntarily or involuntarily, initiate a recall if any of its electric vehicles or components (including its battery cells) prove to be defective or noncompliant with applicable motor vehicle safety standards. If a large number of vehicles are the subject of a recall or if needed replacement parts are not in adequate supply, Polestar may be unable to service and repair recalled vehicles for a significant period of time. These types of disruptions could jeopardize Polestar’s ability to fulfill existing contractual commitments or satisfy demand for its electric vehicles and could also result in the loss of business to its competitors. Such recalls, whether caused by systems or components engineered or manufactured by Polestar or its suppliers, would involve significant expense and diversion of management’s attention and other resources, which could adversely affect Polestar’s brand image in its target market and its business, prospects, results of operations and financial condition. As a newer entrant to the industry attempting to build customer relationships and earn trust, these effects could be significantly detrimental to Polestar. Additionally, problems and defects experienced by other electric consumer vehicles, including failure of their energy storage product as well as the mishandling of battery cells or a safety issue or fire related to the cells at manufacturing facilities, could by association have a negative impact on perception and customer demand for Polestar’s vehicles.
In addition, even if its vehicles function as designed, Polestar expects that the battery efficiency, and hence the range, of its electric vehicles, like other electric vehicles that use current battery technology, will decline over the time of its life. Other factors, such as usage, time and stress patterns, may also impact the battery’s ability to hold a charge, or could require Polestar to limit vehicles’ battery charging capacity, including via over-the-air or other software updates, for safety reasons or to protect battery capacity, which could further decrease Polestar’s vehicles’ range between charges. Such decreases in or limitations of battery capacity and therefore range, whether imposed by deterioration, software limitations or otherwise, could also lead to consumer complaints or warranty claims, including claims that prior knowledge of such decreases or limitations would have affected consumers’ purchasing decisions. There can be no assurance that Polestar will be able to improve the performance of its battery packs, or increase its vehicles’ range, in the future. Any such battery deterioration or capacity limitations and related decreases in range may negatively influence potential customers’ willingness to purchase Polestar’s vehicles and negatively impact its brand and reputation, which could adversely affect Polestar’s business, prospects, results of operations and financial condition.
Polestar may become subject to product liability claims, which could harm its financial condition and liquidity if it is not able to successfully defend or insure against such claims.
Polestar may become subject to product liability claims, which could harm its business, prospects, results of operations and financial condition. The automotive industry experiences significant product liability claims, and Polestar faces inherent risks of exposure to claims in the event its vehicles do not perform or are claimed not to perform as expected or malfunction, resulting in property damage, personal injury or death. Polestar also expects that, as is true for other automakers, Polestar’s vehicles will be involved in crashes resulting in death or personal injury, and even if not caused by the failure of its vehicles, Polestar may face product liability claims and adverse publicity in connection with such incidents. In addition, Polestar may face claims arising from or related to failures, claimed failures or misuse of new technologies that Polestar expects to offer, including ADAS/AD features and future upgrades in its vehicles.
A successful product liability claim against Polestar could require it to pay a substantial monetary award. Moreover, a product liability claim against Polestar or its competitors could generate substantial negative publicity about its vehicles and business and inhibit or prevent commercialization of its future vehicles, which would have material and adverse effects on its brand, business, prospects and results of operations. Polestar’s insurance coverage might not be sufficient to cover all potential product liability claims, and insurance
coverage may not continue to be available to Polestar or, if available, may be at a significantly higher cost. Any lawsuit seeking significant monetary damages or other product liability claims may have a material and adverse effect on Polestar’s reputation, business and financial condition.
Uninsured losses, including losses resulting from product liability, accidents, acts of God and other claims against Polestar, could result in payment of substantial damages, which would decrease Polestar’s cash reserves and could harm its cash flow and financial condition.
In the ordinary course of business, Polestar may be subject to losses resulting from product liability, accidents, acts of God and other claims against it, for which it may have no insurance coverage. While Polestar currently carries general and products liability, commercial automobile liability, crime, marine cargo, property and business interruption, workers’ compensation, employment practices, production and directors’ and officers’ insurance policies, it may not maintain as much insurance coverage as other companies do, and in some cases, it may not maintain any at all. Additionally, the policies it does have may include significant deductibles, and it cannot be certain that its insurance coverage will be sufficient to cover all or any future claims against it. A loss that is uninsured or exceeds policy limits may require Polestar to pay substantial amounts, which could adversely affect its financial condition and results of operations. Further, insurance coverage may not continue to be available to Polestar or, if available, may be at a significantly higher cost, especially if insurance providers perceive any increase in Polestar’s risk profile in the future.
Polestar must develop complex software and technology systems, including in coordination with its strategic partners, vendors and suppliers, in order to produce its electric vehicles, and there can be no assurance such systems will be successfully developed.
Polestar’s vehicles use a substantial amount of externally developed and in-house software and complex technological hardware to operate, some of which is still subject to further development and testing. The development and implementation of such advanced technologies is inherently complex, and Polestar will need to coordinate with its vendors and suppliers in order to develop such technologies and integrate them into its electric vehicles and ensure such technologies interoperate with other complex technology as designed and as expected. Polestar may fail to detect defects and errors that are subsequently revealed, and its control over the performance of other parties’ services and systems may be limited. Any defects or errors in, or which are attributed to, Polestar’s technology, could result in, among other things:
•delayed production and delivery of Polestar’s vehicles;
•delayed market acceptance of Polestar’s vehicles;
•loss of customers or the inability to attract new customers;
•diversion of engineering or other resources for remedying the defect or error;
•damage to Polestar’s brand or reputation;
•increased service and warranty costs;
•legal action by customers or third parties, including product liability claims; and
•penalties imposed by regulatory authorities.
In addition, if Polestar and its partners are unable to develop the software and technology systems necessary to operate its vehicles, Polestar’s competitive position will be harmed. Polestar relies on its strategic partners and suppliers to develop a number of technologies for use in its products, including Google Android Automotive Services for the infotainment system installed in Polestar vehicles and independent developers developing third-party apps for Polestar vehicles. There can be no assurances that Polestar’s strategic partners and suppliers will be able to meet the technological requirements, production timing and volume requirements to support Polestar’s business plan. In addition, such technology may not satisfy the cost, performance useful life and warranty characteristics Polestar anticipates in its business plan, which could materially and adversely affect Polestar’s business, prospects and results of operations.
Polestar faces risks associated with international operations, including tariffs and unfavorable regulatory, political, tax and labor conditions, which could materially and adversely affect its business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.
Polestar has operations and subsidiaries in Europe, North America and Asia that are subject to the legal, political, regulatory and social requirements and economic conditions in these jurisdictions. Additionally, as part of its growth strategy, Polestar intends to expand its sales, maintenance and repair services and manufacturing activities to new countries in the coming years. However, Polestar has limited experience in manufacturing, selling or servicing its vehicles, and such expansion would require it to make significant expenditures, including the hiring of local employees, in advance of generating any revenue.
Polestar is subject to a number of risks associated with international business activities that may increase its costs; impact its ability to sell, service and manufacture its vehicles; and require significant management attention.
These risks include:
•conforming Polestar’s vehicles to various international regulatory requirements of jurisdictions where its vehicles are sold or homologated;
•establishing localized supply chains and managing international supply chain and logistics costs;
•difficulty in staffing and managing foreign operations;
•difficulties attracting customers in new jurisdictions;
•difficulties establishing international manufacturing operations, including difficulties establishing relationships with or establishing localized supplier bases and developing cost-effective and reliable supply chains for such manufacturing operations;
•taxes, regulations and permit requirements, including taxes imposed by one taxing jurisdiction that Polestar may not be able to offset against taxes imposed upon it by another relevant jurisdiction, and foreign tax and other laws limiting its ability to repatriate funds to another relevant jurisdiction;
•fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates and interest rates, including risks related to any forward currency contracts, interest rate swaps or other hedging activities Polestar undertakes and changes in value of certain currencies relative to other currencies, including shifts in the Chinese Yuan, U.S. Dollar and Swedish Krona;
•United States, European Union and other and foreign government trade restrictions, tariffs and price or exchange controls;
•foreign labor laws, regulations and restrictions;
•changes in diplomatic and trade relationships, including political risk and customer perceptions based on such changes and risks;
•political instability, natural disasters, climate change, environmental conditions, pandemics, war or events of terrorism; and
•the strength of international economies.
For example, many of Polestar’s vehicles are manufactured in China. The United States recently imposed extraordinary tariffs on Chinese-made electric cars and additional tariffs on goods from China may be imposed in the future. The United States is also considering regulations on the use of information and communications technologies from China and deployed in connected vehicles, which could limit Polestar's ability to use certain vendors in its vehicle systems. The European Union has recently announced that they will be imposing higher import tariffs on Chinese electric vehicle imports. If a resolution is not reached between China and the EU, this will result in higher import tariffs on Polestar’s vehicles by the European Union for Polestar vehicles imported from China, which will lead to higher selling prices or lower margins on the vehicles sold. China has also stated that it is looking at its own measures to respond to such tariffs. Although, Polestar manufacturing facilities in Charleston, South Carolina and Busan, South Korea (which are owned and operated by Polestar’s manufacturing partners) as well as any potential future facilities, are anticipated to reduce the risk of higher import or custom duties in the US and/or the European Union, this may not ultimately be the case. If these manufacturing facilities do not ramp up as expected, Polestar will rely more heavily on imported inventory from China and its vehicles may be subject to higher tariffs.
In addition to the above risks, Polestar may be impacted by the upcoming enactment of Sweden’s new foreign direct investment (“FDI”) regime. The reintroduction of this FDI regime became effective on December 1, 2023 and includes, among other items, a mandatory filing obligation for investors of, and a required authorization for implementation of investments in, companies that are located in Sweden and that are engaged in certain sensitive industries, sectors, and activities. Due to the novelty of the regime and the evolving nature of FDI-related matters, Polestar cannot definitively state that it will not be directly or indirectly impacted by the new Swedish FDI regime. If Polestar is ultimately directly or indirectly impacted by Sweden’s new FDI regime, it may negatively affect Polestar’s ability to attract foreign investments and thus cause a materially negative impact on its business.
Polestar’s success depends on the success of its current and future partnerships, which could be adversely affected by its lack of sole decision-making authority and the actions of its co-owners or partners.
In June 2023, Polestar entered into a joint venture agreement with the technology company Hubei Xingji Meizu Group Co., Ltd. (“Xingji Meizu”), a related party, and may enter into other joint ventures or other strategic partnerships in the future. The joint venture is expected to strengthen Polestar’s position and offering in the Chinese electric vehicle market by bringing together Polestar’s capabilities within design and performance with the software and consumer electronics hardware development expertise of Xingji Meizu. The joint venture intends to develop Xingji Meizu’s existing technology platform, Flyme Auto, into an operating system for Polestar cars sold in China, including in-car apps, streaming services, and intelligent vehicle software as well as mobile and augmented reality devices and customer apps. Polestar currently owns 49% of the joint venture company equity, with the remaining 51% currently owned by Xingji Meizu, though following the completion of an investment signed in February 2024 by a PRC investor Polestar is expected to own approximately 37.64% of the joint venture company, with Xingji Meizu owning approximately 39.18% and the new PRC investor owning approximately 23.18%. The success of Polestar’s joint venture with Xingji Meizu, including its ability to meet sales expectations in China, is critical to Polestar’s overall performance; if the joint venture does not perform as expected, Polestar’s ability to ramp up its business and sales in China could be detrimentally affected. There is no assurance that this joint venture will be successful. Customers may not purchase vehicles from the joint venture, and the margins on the vehicles sold in China will be lower than that in other markets. Additionally, the technology intended to be developed by the joint venture may not be successful or may not ultimately be adopted or utilized by the end consumers. It may take longer to develop and may cost more to develop than anticipated.
Additionally, there is no assurance that the joint venture will be able to maintain, identify or secure suitable business relationships in the future or that these relationships will be successful. Furthermore, should the joint venture company suffer liquidity constraints or other financial difficulties this might require Polestar to invest further amounts and/or cause delays with payments that Polestar is owed from the joint venture company for its cars.
In the joint venture with Xingji Meizu and other arrangements, Polestar shares ownership and management of a company with one or more parties who may not have the same goals and priorities as Polestar and may compete with Polestar outside the joint venture. Joint ventures are intended to be operated for the benefit of all co-owners, rather than for Polestar’s exclusive benefit. If a co-owner changes, relationships deteriorate or strategic objectives diverge, Polestar’s success in the joint venture may be materially adversely affected. Further, some of the benefits from a joint venture are shared among the co-owners, so Polestar may not receive all of the benefits of a successful joint venture.
In addition, because Polestar shares ownership and management with other parties, Polestar may have limited control over the actions of a joint venture, particularly when it owns a minority interest, as in the joint venture with Xingji Meizu. To the extent another party makes decisions that negatively impact the joint venture or internal control issues arise within the joint venture, Polestar may have to take responsive actions, or Polestar may be subject to penalties, fines, financial and legal liabilities or other punitive actions for these activities. The value of the joint venture may also be materially negatively impacted.
The Chinese government may intervene in or influence Polestar’s and Polestar’s partners’ operations in China at any time, which could result in a material change in Polestar’s operations and ability to produce vehicles and significantly and adversely impact the value of Polestar’s securities.
The Chinese government exerts substantial influence, discretion, oversight and control over the manner in which companies incorporated under the laws and regulations of China must conduct their business activities, including activities relating to overseas offerings of securities and/or foreign investments in such companies. Polestar is incorporated under the laws of England and Wales with headquarters in Sweden, and has subsidiaries with operations in mainland China as well as other significant markets. Accordingly, Polestar is not subject to the permissions requirements of the China Securities Regulatory Commission (the “CSRC”) with respect to the issuance of securities by Polestar to investors. However, Polestar cannot guarantee that the Chinese government will not seek to intervene or influence any of Polestar’s or its partners’ operations or securities’ offerings at any time. If Polestar or its partners were to become subject to such direct influence, intervention, discretion, oversight or control, including those over overseas offerings of securities (including foreign investments), it may result in a material adverse change in Polestar’s and its partners’ operations and cause the value of Polestar’s securities to significantly decline or be worthless.
The Chinese government has recently published new policies that significantly affected certain industries such as the education and internet industries, and Polestar, albeit not engaging in such industries, cannot rule out the possibility that the Chinese government will in the future release regulations or policies regarding Polestar’s industry that could require Polestar and its partners to seek permission from Chinese authorities to continue operating, which may adversely affect Polestar’s business, financial condition and results of operations.
Compliance with China’s new Data Security Law, Cybersecurity Review Measures (revised draft for public consultation), Personal Information Protection Law, regulations and guidelines relating to the multi-level protection scheme and any other future laws and regulations may entail significant expenses and could materially affect Polestar’s business.
China has implemented new rules relating to data protection, and the new Data Security Law of the People’s Republic of China (“Data Security Law”) took effect in September 2021. The Data Security Law provides that the data processing activities, including the collection, storage, usage, editing, transmission, provision and publication of the data shall be in compliance with the laws, regulations and shall not damage the national security or public interest, or damage any legitimate interest of any individuals or entities. Pursuant to the Data Security Law, China establishes the “data classification and hierarchical protection system” and “data security review system” for the purpose of data protection. Without prior approval by the Chinese competent regulator, any entity or individual shall be prohibited from transferring data stored in China to foreign law enforcement agencies or judicial authorities.
Additionally, the Cyber Security Law of the People’s Republic of China (“Cyber Security Law”) that came into effect in June 2017 requires companies to take certain organizational, technical and administrative measures and other necessary measures to ensure the security of their networks and data stored on their networks. Specifically, the Cyber Security Law provides that China adopt a multi-level protection scheme (“MLPS”), under which network operators are required to implement security protection measures to ensure that the network is free from interference, disruption or unauthorized access, and prevent network data from being disclosed, stolen or tampered with. Under the MLPS, entities operating information systems must have a thorough assessment of the risks and the conditions of their information and network systems to determine the level to which the entity’s information and network systems belong-from the lowest Level 1 to the highest Level 5 pursuant to a series of national standards on the grading and implementation of the classified protection of cyber security. The grading result will determine the set of security protection obligations that entities must comply with. In the event the information and network systems are preliminarily classified as Level 2 or above, the network operator should report the grade to the relevant government authority for examination, approval and final determination of its protection level.
Recently, the Cyberspace Administration of China (the “CAC”) has taken action against several Chinese Internet companies in connection with their initial public offerings on U.S. securities exchanges, for alleged national security risks and improper collection and use of the personal information of Chinese data subjects. According to the official announcement, the action was initiated based on the National Security Law, the Cyber Security Law and Cybersecurity Review Measures, which are aimed at “preventing national data security risks, maintaining national security and safeguarding public interests.” On November 14, 2021, the CAC published the
draft Network Data Security Management Regulation for public comment, which stipulates the requirement that data processors processing more than 1 million individuals’ information should apply for a cybersecurity review with the CAC, if the processors intend to list their securities in a foreign country. On December 28, 2021, the CAC published the Cybersecurity Review Measures, which came into effect on February 15, 2022, specifying that the cybersecurity review must be conducted in the event the data processing operators in possession of personal information of over 1 million users intend to list their securities in a foreign country.
It is unclear at the present time how widespread the cybersecurity review requirement and the enforcement action will be and what effect they will have on Polestar in particular. China’s regulators may impose penalties for non-compliance ranging from fines or suspension of operations, and this could lead to us delisting from the U.S. stock market.
Also, on August 20, 2021, the Standing Committee of China’s National People’s Congress passed the Personal Information Protection Law of the People’s Republic of China (“Personal Information Protection Law”), which became effective on November 1, 2021. The Personal Information Protection Law provides a comprehensive set of data privacy and protection requirements that apply to the processing of personal information and expands data protection compliance obligations to cover the processing of personal information of individuals by organizations and individuals in China. In addition, if the processing of personal information of individuals in China is conducted outside of China, the Personal Information Protection Law shall also apply if such processing is for purposes of providing products and services to, or analyzing and evaluating the behavior of, persons in China. The Personal Information Protection Law also provides that critical information infrastructure operators and personal information processing entities who process personal information meeting a volume threshold to be set by the CAC are also required to store in China personal information generated or collected in China, and to pass a security assessment administered by the CAC for any export of such personal information. On July 7, 2022, the CAC issued Security Assessment Measures for Outbound Data Transfers, which became effective on September 1, 2022. The Security Assessment Measures for Outbound Data Transfers requires that the data processor shall apply for the security assessment organized by the CAC under any of the following circumstances before the information is transferred outbound: (i) where a data processor provides key data overseas, (ii) critical information infrastructure operator and personal information processors who process more than 1 million individual’s personal information; (iii) where a data processor has provided personal information of over 100,000 individuals or sensitive personal information of over 10,000 individuals in total abroad since January 1 of the previous year. Lastly, the Personal Information Protection Law contains proposals for significant fines for serious violations of up to RMB 50 million or 5% of annual turnover of the prior year and may also be ordered to suspend any related activity by competent authorities.
Other than personal information, the Several Measures on the Automobile Data Security Management (for Trial Implementation) jointly issued by the National Development and Reform Commission, Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, Ministry of Public Security, CAC and Ministry of Transport on August 16, 2021 and came into effect on October 1, 2021, impose strict regulation on important data, which includes more than 100,000 individuals’ personal information. The Several Measures on the Automobile Data Security Management (for Trial Implementation) provide that important data should be stored within the territory of China in accordance with the law, and if it is really necessary to export such data due to business needs, a security assessment organized by the CAC must be passed.
On July 7, 2022, the CAC released the Cross-border Data Transfer Security Measures (the “Security Assessment Measures”) effective from September 1, 2022, with a six months “rectification period.” The Security Assessment Measures provides for the scope of data that will be subject to security assessment when being exported, including (i) personal information and important data collected and generated by a critical information infrastructure operator; (ii) any important data that is to be exported; (iii) personal information from a data handler that has processed personal information of one million individuals or more; (iv) information from a data handler that in aggregate has exported personal information of over 100,000 individuals or sensitive personal information of over 10,000 individuals; and (v) such other information prescribed by the CAC. Critical information infrastructure operators or data handlers that are subject to the Security Assessment Measures must submit application materials to the CAC offices at the provincial level for the security assessment. As a data handler may subject to the Security Assessment Measures, as of the date of this Report, Polestar has not obtained any approval on the security assessment from the CAC, nor has Polestar submitted any materials with any CAC offices at the provincial level concerning the security assessment. Although the CAC has not issued any formal documentation specifying the meaning of the six months “rectification period” and many companies filed for the security assessment after the expiration of the six months “rectification period,” Polestar and its external counsel cannot assure whether Polestar's filings to be made after the six months “rectification period” will not have a material adverse effect on Polestar's business operations in China.
On December 8, 2022, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology of China promulgated the Industry and Information Technology Field Data Security Administrative Measures (for Trial Implementation) effective from January 1, 2023, which regulate the data processing activities in the field of industry and information technology conducted within the territory of the PRC. Under the foregoing measures, data handlers in the field of industry and information technology must further implement data classification and categorization management, take necessary measures to ensure that data remains effectively protected and is lawfully processed, and conduct data security risk monitoring. Under the data classification and categorization, “data in the field of industry and information technology” includes industrial data, telecommunications data, and radio data; among others, “industrial data” means data produced and collected in the course of research and development, design, production and manufacturing, business management, operating maintenance, and platform operation in various sectors and fields of industry. A data handler in the industry and information technology field in the PRC shall submit its catalog of important data and core data to the local industrial regulatory department for recordation. Since Polestar is not registered manufacturer in PRC but cooperating with its Original Equipment Manufacturer (“OEM”) suppliers, the legal obligations are mainly with the OEM suppliers. However, Polestar may be impacted should its OEM suppliers not fulfill such for obligations under the forgoing measures.
Polestar uses global information systems to support its worldwide operation, but the information systems might not have servers in China and the personal information collected by Polestar in China may be constantly exported outside China to countries hosting the information systems’ servers. Polestar also relies on certain information systems maintained by Volvo Cars to process certain personal information, which similarly exports personal information outside China on a regular basis. Personal information processed by information systems with servers in China is stored in China, unless Polestar’s operations necessitate exporting such personal information.
Furthermore, Polestar and its subsidiaries in China are not classified as “critical information infrastructure operators” or “network platform operators” under the Cybersecurity Review Measures, nor have Polestar and its subsidiaries received any notice from the CAC defining them as the foregoing, which would require Polestar or its subsidiaries to apply for a cybersecurity review with the CAC. If it is determined in the future that approvals or permissions from the CAC or other regulatory authorities are required, or if the CAC or other regulatory authorities later promulgate new rules or explanations requiring that Polestar or its subsidiaries to obtain their approvals or accomplish any required filing or other regulatory procedures, Polestar may be unable to obtain a waiver of such approval requirements, if and when procedures are established to obtain such a waiver.
Interpretation, application and enforcement of these laws, rules and regulations will evolve over time and their scope may continually change, through new legislation, amendments to existing legislation or changes in enforcement. Compliance with the Cyber Security Law, the Data Security Law, the Personal Information Protection Law and/or related implementing regulations could significantly increase the cost to Polestar of producing and selling vehicles, require significant changes to Polestar’s operations or even prevent Polestar from providing certain service offerings in jurisdictions in which Polestar currently operates or in which Polestar may operate in the future. Despite Polestar’s efforts to comply with applicable laws, regulations and other obligations relating to privacy, data protection and information security, it is possible that Polestar’s practices or offerings could fail to meet all of the requirements imposed on Polestar by the Cyber Security Law, the Data Security Law, the Personal Information Protection Law and/or related implementing regulations. Any failure on Polestar’s part to comply with such laws or regulations or any other obligations relating to privacy, data protection or information security, or any compromise of security that results in unauthorized access, use or release of personally identifiable information or other data, or the perception or allegation that any of the foregoing types of failure or compromise has occurred, could damage Polestar’s reputation, discourage new and existing counterparties from contracting with Polestar or result in investigations, fines, suspension or other penalties by Chinese government authorities and private claims or litigation, any of which could materially adversely affect Polestar’s business, financial condition and results of operations. Even if Polestar’s practices are not subject to legal challenge, the perception of privacy concerns, whether or not valid, may harm Polestar’s reputation and adversely affect Polestar’s business, financial condition and results of operations (See “—Risks Related to Cybersecurity and Data Privacy—Data privacy concerns are generally increasing, which could result in new legislation, in negative public perception of Polestar’s current data collection practices and certain of its services or technologies and/or in changing user behaviors that negatively affect Polestar’s business and product development plans.”). Moreover, the legal uncertainty created by the Data Security Law and the recent Chinese government actions could materially adversely affect Polestar’s ability, on favorable terms, to raise capital, including engaging in follow-on offerings of its securities in the U.S. market.
Polestar may be adversely affected by the complexity, uncertainties and changes in the regulations on internet-related business, automotive business and other business carried out by Polestar’s operating entities in China. Polestar and its subsidiaries may not receive or maintain permissions or all required approvals from the CAC or other relevant authorities to operate in China.
The Chinese government extensively regulates the internet and automotive industries and other business carried out by Polestar’s operating entities in China. Such laws and regulations are relatively new and evolving, and their interpretation and enforcement involve significant uncertainties. As a result, in certain circumstances it may be difficult to determine what actions or omissions may be deemed to be in violation of applicable laws and regulations. The Chinese government also has significant oversight and discretion over the conduct of Polestar's business and Polestar's operations may be affected by evolving regulatory policies as a result. The Chinese government has recently published new policies that significantly affect certain industries, and Polestar cannot rule out the possibility that it will in the future release regulations or policies regarding Polestar's industry that could adversely affect Polestar's business, financial condition and results of operations.
Several regulatory authorities in China, such as the State Administration for Market Regulation, the National Development and Reform Commission, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and the Ministry of Commerce, oversee different aspects of the electric vehicle business, and Polestar’s operating entities in China are required to obtain a wide range of government approvals, licenses, permits and registrations in connection with their operations in China. For example, certain filings must be made by automobile dealers through the information system for the national automobile circulation operated by the relevant commerce department within 90 days after the receipt of a business license. Furthermore, the electric vehicle industry is relatively immature in China, and the government has not adopted a clear regulatory framework to regulate the industry.
There are also substantial uncertainties regarding the interpretation and application of the existing laws, regulations and policies and possible new laws, regulations or policies in China relating to internet-related businesses as well as automotive businesses and companies. There is no assurance that Polestar will be able to obtain all the permits or licenses related to its business in China, or will be able to maintain its existing permits and licenses or obtain new ones. In the event that the Chinese government considers that Polestar was or is operating without the proper approvals, licenses or permits, promulgates new laws and regulations that require additional approvals or licenses, or imposes additional restrictions on the operation of any part of Polestar’s business, the Chinese government has the power, among other things, to levy fines, confiscate any of Polestar’s income that it considers illegal, revoke its business licenses and require Polestar to suspend or discontinue the relevant business or impose restrictions on the affected portion of
its business. Any of these actions by the Chinese government, and any related negative publicity, may have a material and adverse effect on Polestar’s business, prospects, financial condition, and results of operations, as well as the trading price of ADSs.
Polestar relies heavily on manufacturing facilities and suppliers based in China, including single-source suppliers, and its growth strategy will depend on growing its business in China. This subjects Polestar to economic, operational, regulatory and legal risks specific to China.
Polestar relies heavily on manufacturing facilities based in China for the manufacture of its vehicles, including facilities of Volvo Cars, Geely and its other contract partners. Polestar intends to rely solely on arrangements with its contract manufacturers, including Volvo Cars and Geely, for current and future Polestar models, many of which are based in China, and its growth strategy will depend on growing its business based in China. In addition, Polestar relies on single-source suppliers in China for critical components for Polestar vehicles. This growing presence increases Polestar’s sensitivity to the economic, operational and legal risks specific to China. For example, China’s economy differs from the economies of most developed countries in many aspects, including, but not limited to, the degree of government involvement, level of development, reinvestment control of foreign exchange, allocation of resources, growth rate and development level. Although the Chinese government has implemented measures since the late 1970s which are generally viewed as a positive development for foreign business investment, a substantial portion of productive assets in China are still owned by the Chinese government. In addition, the Chinese government continues to play a significant role in regulating industry development by imposing industrial policies. The Chinese government also exercises significant control over economic growth in China through allocating resources, controlling payments of foreign currency-denominated obligations, setting monetary policy and providing preferential treatment to particular industries or companies.
While China’s economy has experienced significant growth over the past decades, growth has been uneven, both geographically and among various sectors of the economy, and the rate of growth has been slowing down. Some of the governmental measures intended to benefit the overall Chinese economy may have a negative effect on Polestar. For example, Polestar’s financial condition and results of operations may be adversely affected by changes in tax regulations. Higher inflation could adversely affect Polestar’s results of operations and financial condition. Furthermore, certain operating costs and expenses, such as battery prices and freight and distribution costs, employee compensation and office operating expenses, may increase as a result of higher inflation. In addition, the Chinese government has implemented in the past certain measures to control the pace of economic growth. These measures may cause decreased economic activity, which in turn could lead to a reduction in demand for Polestar’s products and services, and consequently have a material and adverse effect on Polestar’s businesses, financial condition and results of operations.
It is unclear whether and how Polestar’s current or future business, prospects, financial condition or results of operations may be affected by changes in China’s economic, political and social conditions and in its laws, regulations and policies. Changes in Chinese policies, regulations and rules, or their enforcement, may occur with little advance notice and could have a significant impact upon Polestar’s and its partners’ ability to operate profitably.
In addition, many of the economic reforms carried out by the Chinese government are unprecedented or experimental and are expected to be refined and improved over time. This refining and improving process may not necessarily have a positive effect on Polestar’s operations and business development.
Additionally, the legal system in China is developing and there are inherent uncertainties that may affect the protection afforded to Polestar for its business and activities in China that are governed by Chinese laws and regulations. Any administrative and court proceedings in China may be protracted, resulting in substantial costs and diversion of resources and management attention. Since administrative and court authorities in China have significant discretion in interpreting and implementing statutory and contractual terms, it may be more difficult to evaluate the outcome of administrative and court proceedings and the level of legal protection for Polestar than in more developed legal systems. These uncertainties may impede Polestar’s ability to enforce contracts and could materially and adversely affect Polestar’s business, financial condition and results of operations.
If Polestar updates or discontinues the use of its manufacturing equipment more quickly than expected, it may have to shorten the useful lives of any equipment to be retired as a result of any such update, and the resulting acceleration in Polestar’s depreciation could negatively affect its financial results.
Polestar has invested and expects to continue to invest significantly in what it believes is state of the art tooling, machinery and other manufacturing equipment, including in collaboration with its manufacturing partners, and Polestar depreciates the cost of such equipment over its expected useful lives. However, manufacturing technology may evolve rapidly, and Polestar may decide to update its manufacturing processes more quickly than expected. Moreover, as Polestar ramps the commercial production of its vehicles, Polestar’s experience may cause it to discontinue the use of already installed equipment in favor of different or additional equipment. The useful life of any equipment that would be retired early as a result would be shortened, causing the depreciation on such equipment to be accelerated, and Polestar’s results of operations could be negatively impacted.
Polestar’s main distribution approach is different from the currently predominant distribution model for automakers, and its long-term viability is unproven. Polestar does not have a third-party retail product distribution network in all of the countries in which it operates, and Polestar may face regulatory challenges to or limitations on its ability to sell vehicles directly.
Polestar’s main distribution approach is not common in the automotive industry today. Polestar vehicles are sold either directly to users (rather than through dealerships), or, in certain countries, through third parties via a franchising model. In North America, for example, all sales are conducted through trusted representatives. Polestar’s direct to consumer approach of vehicle distribution is relatively new and has a shorter track record to prove long-term effectiveness. It thus subjects Polestar to risks as it requires, in the aggregate, significant expenditures and may provide for slower expansion of Polestar’s distribution and sales systems than the
traditional dealership system. For example, Polestar does not utilize long established sales channels developed through a dealership system to increase its sales volume. However, Polestar does leverage the existing Volvo Cars network of dealers as a pipeline of potential operators of Polestar Spaces or distributors (depending on the distribution approach in each country). Moreover, Polestar competes with automakers with well-established distribution channels. If Polestar’s lack of a traditional dealer distribution network results in lost opportunities to generate sales, it could limit Polestar’s ability to grow. Polestar’s expansion of its network of retail locations and service points may not fully meet users’ expectations. Polestar’s success will depend in large part on its ability to effectively develop its own sales channels and marketing strategies. Implementing its business model is subject to numerous challenges, including obtaining permits and approvals from government authorities, and Polestar may not be successful in addressing these challenges.
Polestar’s experience distributing directly to consumers only started in 2019 with the launch of Polestar 1 and at a larger scale in 2020 with the launch of Polestar 2. Therefore, Polestar expects that the building of an in-house sales and marketing function will be expensive and time consuming. To the extent Polestar is unable to successfully execute on its current direct distribution plans, it may be required to change such plans, which may prove costly, time-consuming or ineffective. If Polestar’s use of an in-house sales and marketing team is not effective, Polestar’s results of operations and financial conditions could be adversely affected.
Additionally, the laws governing licensing of dealers and sales of motor vehicles vary from country to country and, within a country, from state to state, and the application of these local laws to Polestar’s operations can be difficult to predict. Certain jurisdictions require a dealer license to sell new motor vehicles within the country or state. Where required, Polestar anticipates that it can become a licensed dealer in certain countries. In countries where Polestar is required to resort to dealers, other challenges may arise. In the United States, for example, some automobile dealers have brought a claim before the Illinois Motor Vehicle Review Board claiming that they have a right to sell Polestar vehicles because of their franchise with Volvo Cars and in accordance with the Illinois Motor Vehicle Franchise Act. Further, even in jurisdictions where Polestar believes applicable laws and regulations do not currently prohibit its direct sales model, legislatures may impose additional requirements. Because the laws vary from country to country, and, within a country, from state to state, Polestar’s distribution model and its sales and service processes is continually monitored and adapted for compliance with the various jurisdictional requirements and may change from time to time. Regulatory compliance and likely challenges to the distribution model may add to the cost of Polestar’s business.
Insufficient reserves to cover future warranty or part replacement needs or other vehicle repair requirements, including any potential software upgrades, could have a material and adverse effect on Polestar’s business, prospects, financial condition and results of operations.
Polestar provides a manufacturer’s warranty on all vehicles, components and systems it sells. Polestar needs to maintain reserves to cover part replacement and other vehicle repair needs, including any potential software upgrades or warranty claims. In addition, Polestar provides additional warranties on installation workmanship or performance guarantees. Warranty reserves will include Polestar’s management team’s best estimate of the projected costs to repair or to replace items under warranty. Such estimates are inherently uncertain, particularly in light of Polestar’s limited operating history and the limited field data available to it, and changes to such estimates based on real-world observations may cause material changes to Polestar’s warranty reserves in the future. If Polestar’s reserves are inadequate to cover future maintenance requirements on its vehicles, its business, prospects, financial condition and results of operations could be materially and adversely affected. Polestar may become subject to significant and unexpected expenses as well as claims from its customers, including loss of revenue or damages. There can be no assurances that the then-existing reserves will be sufficient to cover all claims. In addition, if future laws or regulations impose additional warranty obligations on Polestar that go beyond Polestar’s manufacturer’s warranty, Polestar may be exposed to materially higher warranty, parts replacement and repair expenses than it expects, and its reserves may be insufficient to cover such expenses.
Polestar may be unable to offer attractive leasing and financing options for its current vehicle models and future vehicles, which would adversely affect consumer demand for its vehicles.
Polestar offers leasing and financing of its vehicles to potential customers through financing partners. Polestar believes that the ability to offer attractive leasing and financing options is particularly relevant to customers in the premium vehicle segments in which it competes. We cannot provide any assurance that our financing partners will continue, or would be able or willing, to provide such services on terms acceptable to us or our customers. If Polestar is unable to offer its customers an attractive option to finance the purchase or lease of its vehicles, such failure could substantially reduce the population of potential customers and decrease demand for Polestar’s vehicles.
Polestar is subject to risks associated with advanced driver assistance system technology. Polestar is also working on adding autonomous driving technology to its vehicles and expects to be subject to the risks associated with this technology, including uncertain and evolving regulations. Polestar cannot guarantee that its vehicles will achieve its targeted assisted or autonomous driving functionality within its projected timeframe, or ever.
Polestar’s vehicles are designed with the advanced driver assistance system (“ADAS”) hardware, and Polestar expects to launch automation functionalities and additional capabilities, including autonomous driving (“AD”), over time. ADAS/AD technologies are emerging and subject to known and unknown risks, and there have been accidents and fatalities associated with such technologies. The safety of such technologies depends in part on user interaction, and users, as well as other drivers on the roadways, may not be accustomed to using or adapting to such technologies. In addition, self-driving technologies are the subject of intense public scrutiny and interest, and previous accidents involving autonomous driving features in other vehicles, including alleged failures or misuse of such features, have generated significant negative media attention and government investigations. To the extent accidents associated with Polestar’s ADAS or AD technologies occur, Polestar could be subject to significant liability, negative publicity, government
scrutiny and further regulation. ADAS/AD technology is subject to considerable regulatory uncertainty as the law in different jurisdictions evolves to catch up with the rapidly evolving nature of the technology itself, all of which is beyond Polestar’s control. There is a variety of international, federal and state regulations that may apply to self-driving and driver-assisted vehicles, which include many existing vehicle standards that were not originally intended to apply to vehicles that may not have a driver. There are currently no federal U.S. regulations pertaining to the safety of self-driving vehicles; however, NHTSA has established recommended guidelines. Certain states have legal restrictions on self-driving vehicles, and many other states are considering them. In Europe, certain vehicle safety regulations apply to self-driving braking and steering systems, and certain treaties also restrict the legality of certain higher levels of self-driving vehicles. Self-driving laws and regulations are expected to continue to evolve in numerous jurisdictions in the U.S. and foreign countries, which increases the likelihood of a patchwork of complex or conflicting regulations that may delay products or restrict self-driving features and availability, which could adversely affect Polestar’s business. Polestar’s vehicles may not achieve the requisite level of autonomy that may be required in some countries or jurisdictions for certification and rollout to consumers or may not satisfy changing regulatory requirements which could require Polestar to redesign, modify or update its ADAS/AD hardware and related software systems. Any of the foregoing could materially and adversely affect Polestar’s results of operations, financial condition and growth prospects.
In addition, Polestar faces substantial competition in the development and deployment of ADAS/AD technologies. Many of Polestar’s competitors, including Tesla, established automakers such as Mercedes-Benz, Audi and General Motors (including via its investments in Cruise Automation), and technology companies including Waymo (owned by Alphabet), Zoox.ai (owned by Amazon), Aurora, Argo AI (jointly owned by Ford and Volkswagen), Mobileye, Aptiv (which recently acquired Wind River), Baidu, Nuro and Ghost Autonomy, have devoted significant time and resources to developing ADAS/AD technologies. They may also own patents in this area, which may be relevant to technologies Polestar may use. If Polestar is unable to develop competitive or more advanced ADAS/AD technologies in-house or acquire access to such technology via partnerships or investments in other companies or assets, it may be unable to equip its vehicles with competitive ADAS/AD features, which could damage its brand, reduce consumer demand for its vehicles or trigger cancellations of reservations and could have a material and adverse effect on its business, results of operations, prospects and financial condition. ADAS/AD technologies are also subject to considerable regulatory uncertainty, which exposes Polestar to additional risks.
Developments in electric vehicle or alternative fuel technology or improvements in the internal combustion engine may adversely affect the demand for Polestar’s vehicles.
Polestar may be unable to keep up with changes in electric vehicle technology or alternatives to electricity as a fuel source and, as a result, its competitiveness may suffer. Significant developments in alternative technologies, such as alternative battery cell technologies, hydrogen fuel cell technology, advanced gasoline, ethanol or natural gas or improvements in the fuel economy of the internal combustion engine, may materially and adversely affect Polestar’s business and prospects in ways it does not currently anticipate. Existing and other battery cell technologies, fuels or sources of energy may emerge as customers’ preferred alternative to the technologies in Polestar’s electric vehicles. Any failure by Polestar to develop new or enhanced technologies or processes, or to react to changes in existing technologies, could materially delay its development and introduction of new and enhanced electric vehicles, which could result in the loss of competitiveness of its vehicles, decreased revenues and a loss of market share to competitors. In addition, Polestar expects to compete in part on the basis of its vehicles’ range, efficiency, charging speeds and performance, and improvements in the technology offered by competitors could reduce demand for Polestar’s vehicles. As technologies change, Polestar plans to upgrade or adapt its vehicles and introduce new models that reflect such technological developments, but its vehicles may become obsolete, and its research and development efforts (and those of its strategic partners) may not be sufficient to adapt to changes in alternative fuel and electric vehicle technology. Additionally, as new companies and larger, existing vehicle manufacturers continue to enter the electric vehicle space, Polestar may lose any technological advantage it may have and suffer a decline in its competitive position. Any failure by Polestar to successfully react to changes in existing technologies or the development of new technologies could materially harm its competitive position and growth prospects.
Extended periods of low gasoline or other petroleum-based fuel prices could adversely affect our business, prospects, results of operations and financial condition.
A portion of the current and expected demand for electric vehicles results from concerns about volatility in the cost of gasoline and other petroleum-based fuel, the dependency of Europe, North America and Asia on oil from unstable or hostile countries, government regulations and economic incentives promoting fuel efficiency and alternative forms of energy, as well as concerns about climate change resulting in part from the burning of fossil fuels. If the cost of gasoline and other petroleum-based fuel decreases significantly, the outlook for the long-term supply of oil to Europe, North America and Asia improves, the government eliminates or modifies its regulations or economic incentives related to fuel efficiency and alternative forms of energy or there is a change in the perception that the burning of fossil fuels negatively impacts the environment, the demand for electric vehicles, including our vehicles, could be reduced, and our business and revenue may be harmed.
Gasoline and other petroleum-based fuel prices have historically been extremely volatile and it is difficult to ascertain whether such volatility will continue to persist. Lower gasoline or other petroleum-based fuel prices over extended periods of time may lower the perception in government and the private sector that cheaper, more readily available energy alternatives should be developed and produced. If gasoline or other petroleum-based fuel prices remain at deflated levels for extended periods of time, the demand for electric vehicles, including our vehicles, may decrease, which would have an adverse effect on our business, prospects, financial condition and results of operations.
Changes in foreign currency rates, interest rate risks, or inflation could materially affect Polestar’s results of operations.
Due to its international operations, Polestar faces foreign currency risk exposure from fluctuating currency exchange rates, interest rate risk from its exposure to floating and variable interest rates, and inflation risk from existing and expected rates of inflation in the U.S. and other jurisdictions.
The Russo-Ukrainian war led to increased inflationary pressures on prices of components, materials, labor, and equipment used in the production of Polestar vehicles. Increases in battery prices due to the increased prices of lithium, cobalt, and nickel are expected to lead to higher inventory and costs of goods sold. Higher oil prices have also increased freight and distribution costs across all markets. It is uncertain whether these inflationary pressures will persist in the future. See Item 5 “Operating and Financial Review and Prospects—Key factors affecting performance—Impact of the Russo-Ukrainian War” and “Operating and Financial Review and Prospects—Key factors affecting performance—Inflation.”
Further, fluctuations in currency rates, interest rate hikes and existing and expected rates of inflation in the U.S. and other jurisdictions have resulted in extreme volatility in the global financial markets, which has increased Polestar’s cost of capital and may limit its ability to access financing when needed. Polestar may not be able to obtain additional financing on terms favorable to it, if at all. See “—Risks Related to Financing and Strategic Transactions—Polestar will require additional capital to support business growth, and this capital might not be available on commercially reasonable terms, or at all.”
Polestar’s facilities or operations could be and have been adversely affected by events outside of its control, such as natural disasters, wars, health epidemics, pandemics or security incidents.
Polestar may be impacted by natural disasters, wars, health epidemics or pandemics (such as the Covid-19 pandemic) or other events outside of its control. For example, flooding impacted Polestar’s manufacturing facility in July 2019 and stopped production for one half of a day, and prolonged government mandated quarantines and lockdowns in China during 2022 due to further outbreaks of Covid-19 resulted in delays in the production and delivery of critical components and delayed production of Polestar vehicles. Further, if major disasters such as earthquakes, wildfires, tornadoes or other events occur, or if Polestar’s information system or communications network breaks down or operates improperly, Polestar’s facilities and manufacturing may be seriously damaged or affected, or Polestar may have to stop or delay production and shipment of its products. The effects of climate change may exacerbate the impact of natural disasters and weather events. Furthermore, Polestar could be impacted by physical security incidents at its facilities or those of its strategic partners, which could result in significant damage to such facilities that could require Polestar or its partners to delay or discontinue production of its vehicles. Polestar may incur significant expenses or delays relating to such events outside of its control, which could have a material adverse impact on its business, results of operations and financial condition.
A global economic recession or other downturn may have a disproportionately adverse impact on Polestar’s business, prospects, results of operations and financial condition.
Because of Polestar’s premium brand positioning and pricing, an economic downturn is likely to have a heightened adverse effect on it, compared to many of its electric vehicle and traditional automotive industry competitors, to the extent that consumer demand for luxury goods is reduced in favor of lower-priced alternatives. Any economic recession or other downturn could also cause logistical challenges and other operational risks if any of Polestar’s suppliers, sub-suppliers or partners becomes insolvent or are otherwise unable to continue their operations.
The ongoing conflicts between Russia and Ukraine, in Israel and the Gaza Strip, and in the Red Sea have, and are likely to continue to, generate uncertain geopolitical conditions, including sanctions, economic boycotts, and divestment initiatives that could adversely affect Polestar’s business prospects and results of operations.
Russia and Ukraine are not Polestar markets, and there are no plans to launch in either market in the near future. However, Israel is a Polestar market and Polestar has some suppliers with operations in Israel. The uncertain geopolitical conditions, sanctions, and other potential impacts on the global economic environment resulting from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the recent escalation in the conflict between Hamas and Israel may weaken demand for Polestar’s vehicles and impact its ability to access production components, which could make it difficult for Polestar to forecast its financial results and manage its inventory levels. Polestar has suppliers in Israel, including Mobileye and StoreDot. If the conditions in Israel interrupt Polestar’s suppliers’ operations or limit the ability for Polestar’s suppliers to operate, Polestar’s business can be harmed. Additionally, in the past, Israel and Israeli companies have been, and continue to be, subject to economic boycotts and divestment initiatives, which could negatively impact Polestar’s business given Polestar’s relationship with Mobileye and StoreDot. In addition, further escalation of the conflict in the Red Sea may affect our shipping operations and result in shipping companies rerouting their cargo ships. These potential shipping disruptions may cause additional shipping costs and delays.
The uncertainty surrounding these conditions and the current, and potentially expanded, scope of international sanctions against Russia may cause unanticipated changes in customers’ buying patterns or may adversely impact operations of Polestar’s suppliers. Sanctions have also created supply constraints and driven inflation that has impacted, and may continue to impact, Polestar’s operations and could create or exacerbate risks facing Polestar’s business.
Polestar vehicles are manufactured at facilities owned and operated by Volvo Cars. While Polestar understands that Volvo Cars does not have any “Tier 1” suppliers from Russia, car production is a complex process, with thousands of components sourced from all over the world. There can be no assurance, therefore, that there will not be some components sourced from suppliers subject to sanctions against Russia nor that the resulting disruption to the supply chain will not have an adverse impact on Polestar’s business and results of operations and financial condition.
In the event geopolitical tensions deteriorate further or fail to abate, additional governmental sanctions may be enacted that could adversely impact the global economy, banking and monetary systems, markets, and the operations of Polestar and its suppliers.
If Polestar fails to successfully address these risks, its business, prospects, results of operations and financial condition could be materially harmed.
Risks Related to Cybersecurity and Data Privacy
Polestar relies on its and Volvo Cars’ IT systems and third-party consultants, and so any material disruption to its or Volvo Cars’ IT systems or the third-party operating our security operations center could have a material and adverse effect on Polestar.
The availability and effectiveness of Polestar’s services depend on the continued operation of its information technology and communications systems. Polestar relies on its and Volvo Cars’ IT systems, and such systems are vulnerable to damage or interruption from, among other adverse effects, fire, terrorist attacks, natural disasters, power loss, telecommunications failures, computer viruses, computer denial of service attacks, targeted cybersecurity threats, or other attempts to harm its systems. Polestar also contracts with a third party to operate its cybersecurity operations center. Polestar’s products and services are also highly technical and complex and may contain errors or vulnerabilities that could result in interruptions in its services or the failure of its systems or the systems on which it relies.
As part of Volvo Cars IT incident process, Volvo Cars has informed Polestar of cybersecurity incidents that could have had an impact on the operations of Polestar. While the outcomes of these incidents were determined not to have had a material impact on the safety or security of Polestar’s customers or their personal data, it nonetheless highlights the risk that Polestar faces by being partly reliant on external IT systems. Should a future material IT incident occur at Volvo Cars or at the third party that operates our cybersecurity operations center, it could cause Polestar to suffer lengthy interruptions to its ability to operate its business, damage to Polestar’s reputation, loss of customers, loss of revenue, investigations or litigation or liability for damages, any of which could materially and adversely affect Polestar’s business, results of operations, prospects and financial condition.
Any unauthorized control or manipulation of Polestar’s products, digital sales tools and systems could result in loss of confidence in Polestar and its products.
Polestar’s products contain complex information technology systems. Polestar collects, stores, transmits and otherwise processes data from vehicles, customers, employees and other third parties as part of its business operations, which may include personal data or confidential or proprietary information. Polestar also works with third parties that collect, store and process such data on its behalf and also uses digital tools to sell vehicles to its customers. Polestar has created a foundation of security polices and an information security directive and is in the process of creating and testing information security policies to deployed systems. Polestar is creating measures to implement such policies, including encryption technologies, to prevent unauthorized access by malicious actors and plans to continue deploying additional security measures as it grows. Notwithstanding these measures, there can be no assurance that such systems and measures will be adhered to or will not be compromised as a result of intentional misconduct, including by employees, contractors or vendors, as well as by software bugs, human error or technical malfunctions.
Furthermore, hackers may in the future attempt to gain unauthorized access to, modify, alter, disable, and use Polestar’s vehicles, products, and digital sales tools and Polestar’s and its service providers’ or vendors’ systems to (i) gain control of, (ii) change the functionality, user interface and performance characteristics of or (iii) gain access to sensitive or proprietary data stored in or generated by, such vehicles, products, digital sales tools and systems. Advances in technology, an increased level of sophistication and diversity of Polestar’s products, digital sales tools and services, an increased level of expertise of hackers and new discoveries in the field of cryptography could lead to a compromise or breach of the measures that Polestar or its service providers or vendors use. Polestar and its service providers’ and vendors’ systems have in the past and may in the future be affected by cybersecurity incidents. Polestar’s and its service providers’ and vendors’ systems are also vulnerable to damage or interruption from, among other things, physical theft, fire, terrorist attacks, natural disasters, power loss, war, telecommunications failures, computer viruses, computer denial or degradation of service attacks, ransomware, social engineering schemes, domain name spoofing, insider theft or misuse or other attempts to harm its products and such systems. Polestar’s and its service providers’ or vendors’ data centers could be subject to break-ins, sabotage and intentional acts of vandalism causing potential disruptions. Some of Polestar’s and its service providers’ and vendors’ systems are not and will not be fully redundant. Further, Polestar’s disaster recovery planning is not yet fully developed and cannot account for all eventualities. Any problems at Polestar’s or its service providers’ or vendors’ data centers could result in lengthy interruptions in Polestar’s service. There can be no assurance that any security or other operational measures that Polestar or its service providers or vendors have implemented will be effective against any of the foregoing threats or issues.
If Polestar is unable to protect its products, digital sales tools and its service providers’ and vendors’ systems (and the information stored on such platforms) from unauthorized access, use, disclosure, disruption, modification, destruction or other cybersecurity breaches, such problems or security breaches could have negative consequences for its business and future prospects, subjecting Polestar to substantial fines, penalties, damages and other liabilities under applicable laws and regulations, incurring substantial costs to respond to, investigate and remedy such incidents, reducing customer demand for Polestar’s products, harming its reputation and brand and compromising or leading to a loss of protection of its intellectual property or trade secrets. In addition, regardless of their veracity, reports of unauthorized access to Polestar’s vehicles or data or Polestar’s or its service providers’ and vendors’ systems, as well as other factors that may result in the perception that such vehicles, systems or data are capable of being “hacked,” could negatively affect Polestar’s brand. In addition, some members of the U.S. federal government, including certain members of Congress and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (“NHTSA”), have recently focused attention on automotive cybersecurity
issues and may in the future propose or implement regulations specific to automotive cybersecurity. In addition, the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe has introduced regulations governing connected vehicle cybersecurity, which became effective in January 2021 and apply in the European Union to all new vehicle types beginning in July 2022 and will become mandatory for all new vehicles produced from July 2024. Such regulations are also in effect, or expected to come into effect, in certain other international jurisdictions. These and other regulations could adversely affect Polestar’s business in Europe and other markets, and if such regulations or other future regulations are inconsistent with Polestar’s approach to automotive cybersecurity, Polestar would be required to modify its systems (or cause its service providers and vendors to modify their systems) to comply with such regulations, which would impose additional costs and delays and could expose Polestar to potential liability to the extent its automotive cybersecurity systems and practices are inconsistent with such regulation.
In addition, Polestar’s vehicles depend on the ability of software and hardware to store, retrieve, process and manage immense amounts of data. Polestar’s software and hardware, including any over-the-air or other updates, may contain, errors, bugs, design defects or vulnerabilities, and its service providers’ and vendors’ systems may be subject to technical limitations that may compromise its ability to meet its objectives. Some errors, bugs or vulnerabilities may be inherently difficult to detect and may only be discovered after code has been released for external or internal use. Although Polestar will attempt to remedy any issues it observes in its vehicles as effectively and rapidly as possible, such efforts may not be timely, may hamper production or may not be to the satisfaction of its customers. Additionally, if Polestar is able to deploy updates to the software addressing any issues, but its over-the-air update procedures fail to properly update the software, Polestar’s customers would then need to arrange for installing such updates to the software, and their software may be subject to deficiencies and vulnerabilities until they do so. Any compromise of Polestar’s intellectual property, proprietary information, systems or vehicles or inability to prevent or effectively remedy errors, bugs, vulnerabilities or defects in Polestar’s software and hardware may cause Polestar to suffer lengthy interruptions to its ability to operate its business and its customers’ ability to operate their vehicles, damage to Polestar’s reputation, loss of customers, loss of revenue, governmental fines, investigations or litigation or liability for damages, any of which could materially and adversely affect its business, results of operations, prospects and financial condition.
Data privacy concerns are generally increasing, which could result in new legislation, in negative public perception of Polestar’s current data collection practices and certain of its services or technologies and/or in changing user behaviors that negatively affect Polestar’s business and product development plans.
In the course of its operations, Polestar collects, uses, stores, discloses, transfers and otherwise processes personal information from its customers, employees and third parties with whom it conducts business, including names, accounts, user IDs and passwords and payment or transaction related information. Additionally, Polestar uses its vehicles’ electronic systems to log information about vehicle use, such as charge time, battery usage, mileage and driving behavior, in order to aid it in vehicle diagnostics, repair and maintenance, as well as to help it customize and improve the driving experience.
Data privacy concerns of consumers are generally increasing, which could result in new legislation, in negative public perception of Polestar’s current data collection practices and certain of its services or technologies and/or in changing user behaviors that negatively affect Polestar’s business and product development plans.
Significant capital and other resources may be required to protect against information security breaches or to alleviate problems caused by such breaches or to comply with our privacy policies or privacy-related legal obligations. The resources required may increase over time as the methods used by hackers and others engaged in online criminal activities are increasingly sophisticated and constantly evolving. Any failure or perceived failure by us to prevent information security breaches or to comply with privacy policies or privacy-related legal obligations, or any compromise of security that results in the unauthorized release or transfer of personally identifiable information or other customer data, could cause our customers to lose trust in us and could expose us to legal claims. Any perception by the public that online transactions or the privacy of user information are becoming increasingly unsafe or vulnerable to attacks could inhibit the growth of online retail and other online services generally, which may reduce the number of orders Polestar receives.
Polestar is subject to evolving laws, regulations, standards, policies and contractual obligations related to data privacy, security and consumer protection, and any actual or perceived failure to comply with such obligations could harm Polestar’s reputation and brand, subject Polestar to significant fines and liability, or otherwise adversely affect its business.
Due to Polestar’s data collection practices, products, services and technologies, Polestar is subject to or affected by a number of federal, state, local and international laws and regulations, as well as contractual obligations and industry standards, that impose certain obligations and restrictions with respect to data privacy and security and govern its collection, storage, retention, protection, use, processing, transmission, sharing and disclosure of personal information including that of Polestar’s employees, customers and other third parties with whom Polestar conducts business. These laws, regulations and standards may be interpreted and applied differently over time and from jurisdiction to jurisdiction, and it is possible that they will be interpreted and applied in ways that may have a material and adverse impact on Polestar’s business, financial condition and results of operations.
The global data protection landscape is rapidly evolving, and implementation standards and enforcement practices are likely to remain uncertain for the foreseeable future. Polestar may not be able to monitor and react to all developments in a timely manner. The European Union adopted the General Data Protection Regulation (“GDPR”), which became effective on May 25, 2018, and as a result of the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union on 31 January 2020 the United Kingdom now has its own data privacy regime comprised of the United Kingdom General Data Protection Regulation and Data Protection Act 2018 (collectively, the “UK GDPR”) (the GDPR and UK GDPR together referred to as the “GDPR”) and California adopted the California Consumer
Privacy Act of 2018 (“CCPA”), which became effective in January 2020. Both the GDPR and the CCPA impose additional obligations on companies regarding the handling of personal data and provides certain privacy rights to individual persons whose data is collected. Compliance with existing, proposed and recently enacted laws and regulations (including implementation of the privacy and process enhancements called for under the GDPR and CCPA) can be costly, and any failure to comply with these regulatory standards could subject Polestar to legal and reputational risks.
The GDPR imposes comprehensive data privacy compliance obligations in relation to Polestar's collection, processing, sharing, disclosure, transfer and other use of personal information, including a principle of accountability and the obligation to demonstrate compliance through policies, procedures, training and audit. The GDPR also regulates cross-border transfers of personal information out of the EEA and the UK. Recent legal developments in Europe have created complexity and uncertainty regarding such transfers, in particular in relation to transfers to the United States, and recent European court and regulatory decisions have taken a restrictive approach. Polestar currently relies on the standard contractual clauses and definition of supplementary measures, where applicable and available, or derogations, to transfer personal information outside the EEA and the UK, with respect to both intragroup and third party transfers. As the enforcement landscape further develops, and supervisory authorities issue further guidance on international data transfers, Polestar could suffer additional costs, complaints and/or regulatory investigations or fines; Polestar may have to stop using certain tools and vendors and make other operational changes; and/or it could otherwise affect the manner in which Polestar provides its services, and could adversely affect Polestar's business, operations and financial condition.
Since Polestar is subject to the supervision of relevant data protection authorities under both the GDPR and the UK GDPR, Polestar could be fined under each of those regimes independently in respect of the same breach. Penalties for certain breaches are up to the greater of EUR 20 million/GBP 17.5 million or 4% of Polestar's global annual turnover. In addition to fines, a breach of the GDPR may result in regulatory investigations, reputational damage, orders to cease/change Polestar's data processing activities, enforcement notices, assessment notices (for a compulsory audit) and/ or civil claims (including class actions).
Polestar is also subject to evolving EU and UK privacy laws. Recent European court and regulator decisions are driving increased attention to cookies and tracking technologies. In light of the complex and evolving nature of EU, EU Member State and UK privacy laws in this area, there can be no assurances that Polestar will be successful in its efforts to comply with such laws; violations of such laws could result in regulatory investigations, fines, orders to cease/ change Polestar's use of such technologies, as well as civil claims including class actions, and reputational damage. Furthermore, the EU Data Act, which was adopted in January 2024 and will become applicable in September 2025, will apply to data alongside GDPR and extend to providers of internet-of-things devices, providers of related services and holders of both personal and non-personal data in the European Union.
The CCPA establishes a privacy framework for covered businesses, including an expansive definition of personal information and data privacy rights for California residents. The CCPA includes a framework with potentially severe statutory damages for violations and a private right of action for certain data breaches. The CCPA requires covered businesses to provide California residents with new privacy-related disclosures and new ways to opt-out of certain uses and disclosures of personal information. As Polestar expands its operations, the CCPA may increase its compliance costs and potential liability. Some observers have noted that the CCPA could mark the beginning of a trend toward more stringent privacy legislation in the United States.
Additionally, effective in most respects on January 1, 2023, the California Privacy Rights Act (“CPRA”) has significantly modified the CCPA, including by expanding California residents’ rights with respect to certain sensitive personal information. The CPRA also creates a new state agency that will be vested with authority to implement and enforce the CCPA and the CPRA. Other US states have implemented or are implementing comprehensive privacy statutes that share similarities with the CCPA. For example, such laws have been enacted in Virginia, Colorado, Connecticut and Utah, and come into force in 2023. Additionally, Polestar may be subject to certain laws and regulations, e.g., “Right to Repair” laws, that require Polestar to provide third-party access to its network and/or vehicle systems.
Other jurisdictions have begun to propose similar laws. Compliance with additional applicable privacy and data security laws and regulations is a rigorous and time-intensive process and may place restrictions on the conduct of our business and the manner in which Polestar interacts with its customers. Polestar may be required to put in place additional mechanisms to comply with such laws and regulations, which could cause Polestar to incur substantial costs or require Polestar to change its business practices, including its data practices, in a manner adverse to its business. In particular, certain emerging privacy laws are still subject to a high degree of uncertainty as to their interpretation and application. Failure to comply with applicable laws or regulations or to secure personal information could result in investigations, violations of data privacy laws, enforcement actions and other proceedings against Polestar, which could result in substantial fines, damages and other liability as well as damage to Polestar’s reputation and credibility, which could have a negative impact on revenues and profits.
Additionally, on July 26, 2023, the SEC adopted new cybersecurity disclosure rules for public companies that require disclosure regarding cybersecurity risk management (including the corporate board’s role in overseeing cybersecurity risks, management’s role and expertise in assessing and managing cybersecurity risks, and processes for assessing, identifying and managing cybersecurity risks) in annual reports. These new cybersecurity disclosure rules also require the disclosure of material cybersecurity incidents in a Form 6-K, generally within four days of determining an incident is material.
There are also ongoing complex, uncertain, rapid development and changes of data privacy and security related laws in China. Polestar and its business partners in China could be affected by intervention by the Chinese government relating to, for example, information-sharing and cybersecurity matters. The risk of such interventions could be heightened in connection with a listing of shares of Polestar or any of its business partners, and could result in prohibitions of the sale and/or marketing of certain products. For example, on December 28, 2021, the CAC published the Cybersecurity Review Measures, which came into effect on February 15, 2022, specifying
that the cybersecurity review must be conducted in the event the data processing operators in possession of personal information of over 1 million users intend to list their securities in a foreign country. Polestar has not exceeded this threshold as of the date of this Report. However, under the Cybersecurity Review Measure, the CAC could also initiate cybersecurity review under certain situations, for example, if a regulatory agency within the cyber-security review coordination mechanism believes a network product or service, data processing activity impacts or might impact Chinese national security. If Polestar would be subject to such review and be found to be non-compliant with applicable data protection laws, Polestar may face administrative fines up to RMB 10 million. Additionally, significant restrictions may be imposed on Polestar’s operation in China, or relevant Chinese licenses may be completely or partially revoked. Also, other Chinese regulatory agencies might examine Polestar with regulatory scrutiny and enact sanctions. Finally, Polestar may suffer significant public opinion damage, and there is a risk that its reputation may be materially harmed. Any of these events could have a material and adverse effect on Polestar’s results of operations and financial position as well as on its possibilities to carry out business in China.
Polestar posts public privacy policies on its websites and provides privacy notices to the categories of persons whose personal information it collects, processes, uses or discloses. Although Polestar endeavors to comply with its published policies and other documentation, Polestar may at times fail to do so or may be perceived to have failed to do so. Moreover, despite its efforts, Polestar may not be successful in achieving compliance if its employees, contractors, service providers, vendors or other third parties fail to comply with its published policies and documentation. Such failures could carry similar consequences or subject Polestar to potential international, local, state and federal action if they are found to be deceptive, unfair or misrepresentative of Polestar’s actual practices. Claims that Polestar has violated individuals’ privacy rights or failed to comply with data protection laws, regulations or applicable privacy notices could, even if Polestar is not found liable, be expensive and time-consuming to defend and could result in adverse publicity that could harm its business.
Most jurisdictions have enacted laws or regulations requiring companies to notify individuals, regulatory authorities and other third parties of security breaches involving certain types of data. Such laws or regulations may be inconsistent or may change or additional laws or regulations may be adopted. In addition, Polestar’s agreements with certain customers may require it to notify them in the event of a security breach. Such mandatory disclosures are costly, could lead to negative publicity, penalties or fines, litigation and Polestar’s customers losing confidence in the effectiveness of its security measures, and could require it to expend significant capital and other resources to respond to or alleviate problems caused by the actual or perceived security breach. Any of the foregoing could materially and adversely affect Polestar’s business, prospects, results of operations and financial condition.
Risks Related to Polestar’s Employees and Human Resources
Polestar’s ability to effectively manage its growth relies on the performance of highly skilled personnel, including its Chief Executive Officer, Thomas Ingenlath, its senior management team and other key employees, and Polestar’s ability to recruit and retain key employees. The loss of key personnel or an inability to attract, retain and motivate qualified personnel may impair Polestar’s ability to expand its business.
Polestar’s success is substantially dependent upon the continued service and performance of its senior management team and key personnel with digital, technical and automotive expertise. Although Polestar anticipates that its management and key personnel will remain in place for the foreseeable future, it is possible that Polestar could lose some key personnel. For example, Polestar is highly dependent on the services of Thomas Ingenlath, its Chief Executive Officer. Mr. Ingenlath has a significant influence on and is a driver of Polestar’s business plan and business, design and technology development. If Mr. Ingenlath were to discontinue his service to Polestar, Polestar would be significantly disadvantaged. The replacement of any members of Polestar’s senior management team or other key personnel likely would involve significant time and costs and may significantly delay or prevent the achievement of Polestar’s business objectives.
Polestar’s future success also depends, in part, on its ability to continue to attract, integrate and retain highly skilled personnel. Competition for highly skilled personnel is frequently intense. As with any company, there can be no guarantee that Polestar will be able to attract such individuals or that the presence of such individuals will necessarily translate into Polestar’s profitability. Because Polestar operates in a newly emerging industry, there may also be limited personnel available with relevant business experience, and such individuals may be subject to non-competition and other agreements that restrict their ability to work for Polestar. Polestar’s inability to attract and retain key personnel may materially and adversely affect Polestar’s business operations. Any failure by Polestar’s management to effectively anticipate, implement and manage the changes required to sustain Polestar’s growth would have a material and adverse effect on its business, financial condition and results of operations.
Polestar’s management team has limited experience managing a public company.
Most members of Polestar’s management team have limited experience managing a publicly traded company, interacting with public company investors and complying with the increasingly complex laws pertaining to public companies. Polestar’s management team may not successfully or efficiently manage Polestar’s new obligations as a public company, including significant regulatory oversight and reporting obligations under UK companies laws, the federal securities laws and the continuous scrutiny of securities analysts and investors. These new obligations and constituents will require significant attention from Polestar’s senior management and could divert their attention away from the day-to-day management of Polestar’s business, which could adversely affect its business, results of operations, cash flows and financial condition. In addition, Polestar expects to hire additional personnel to support its operations as a public company, which will increase its operating costs in future periods.
Polestar’s manufacturing partners will need to hire and train a significant number of employees to engage in full-scale operational and commercial operations, and Polestar’s business could be adversely affected by labor and union activities.
Polestar’s manufacturing partners will need to hire and train a significant number of employees to engage in full-scale operational and commercial operations. There are various risks and challenges associated with hiring, training and managing a large workforce. If Polestar’s manufacturing partners are unsuccessful in hiring and training a workforce in a timely and cost-effective manner, Polestar’s business, financial condition and results of operations could be adversely affected.
Furthermore, it is common throughout the automobile industry generally for many employees at automobile companies to belong to a union, which can result in higher employee costs and increased risk of work stoppages. Moreover, regulations in some jurisdictions outside of the U.S. mandate employee participation in industrial collective bargaining agreements and work councils with certain consultation rights with respect to the relevant companies’ operations. Approximately 51% of Polestar’s workforce is covered by collective bargaining agreements. Polestar has collective agreements in Austria, Belgium, Finland, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain and Sweden. Labor unions or labor organizations could also seek to organize some or all of Polestar’s non-unionized workforce. Future negotiations with the union or other certified bargaining representatives could divert management attention and disrupt operations, which may result in increased operating expenses and lower net income. Additionally, if Polestar is unable to reach labor agreements with any current or future unionized work groups, it may be subject to work interruptions or stoppages, which may adversely affect its ability to conduct its operations. Moreover, future agreements with unionized and non-unionized employees may be on terms that are not as attractive as Polestar’s current agreements or comparable to agreements entered into by Polestar’s competitors. Furthermore, Polestar may be directly or indirectly dependent upon companies, such as parts suppliers and trucking and freight companies, with unionized work forces, and work stoppages or strikes organized by such unions could have a material adverse impact on Polestar’s business, financial condition or results of operations. If a work stoppage occurs, it could delay the manufacture and sale of Polestar’s products and have a material and adverse effect on its business, prospects, results of operations or financial condition.
Misconduct by Polestar’s employees and independent contractors during and before their employment with Polestar could expose Polestar to potentially significant legal liabilities, reputational harm and/or other damages to its business.
Many of Polestar’s employees play critical roles in ensuring the safety and reliability of its vehicles and/or its compliance with relevant laws and regulations. Certain of Polestar’s employees have access to sensitive information and/or proprietary technologies and know-how. While Polestar has adopted a code of conduct for all of its employees and implemented policies relating to intellectual property, confidentiality and the protection of company assets, Polestar cannot assure you that its employees will always abide by the codes, policies and procedures, nor that the precautions Polestar takes to detect and prevent employee misconduct will always be effective. If any of Polestar’s employees engages in any misconduct, illegal or suspicious activities, including but not limited to misappropriation or leakage of sensitive customer information or proprietary information, Polestar and such employees could be subject to legal claims and liabilities and Polestar’s reputation and business could be adversely affected as a result.
In addition, while Polestar has screening procedures during the recruitment process, Polestar cannot assure you that it will be able to uncover misconduct of job applicants that occurred before Polestar offered them employment, or that Polestar will not be affected by legal proceedings against its existing or former employees as a result of their actual or alleged misconduct. Any negative publicity surrounding such cases, especially in the event that any of Polestar’s employees is found to have committed any wrongdoing, could negatively affect Polestar’s reputation and may have an adverse impact on its business.
Furthermore, Polestar faces the risk that its employees and independent contractors may engage in other types of misconduct or other illegal activity, such as intentional, reckless or negligent conduct that violates production standards, workplace health and safety regulations, fraud, abuse or consumer protection laws, other similar non-U.S. laws or laws that require the true, complete and accurate reporting of financial information or data. It is not always possible to identify and deter misconduct by employees and other third parties, and the precautions Polestar takes to detect and prevent this activity may not be effective in controlling unknown or unmanaged risks or losses or in protecting Polestar from governmental investigations or other actions or lawsuits stemming from a failure to be in compliance with such laws or regulations. In addition, Polestar is subject to the risk that a person or government could allege fraud or other misconduct, even if none occurred. If any such actions are instituted against Polestar and Polestar is not successful in defending itself or asserting its rights, those actions could have a significant impact on Polestar’s business, prospects, financial condition and results of operations, including, without limitation, the imposition of significant civil, criminal and administrative penalties, damages, monetary fines, disgorgement, integrity oversight and reporting obligations to resolve allegations of non-compliance, imprisonment, other sanctions, contractual damages, reputational harm, diminished profits and future earnings and curtailment of Polestar’s operations, any of which could adversely affect its business, prospects, financial condition and results of operations.
Risks Related to Litigation and Regulation
Polestar is subject to evolving laws and regulations that could impose substantial costs, legal prohibitions or unfavorable changes upon its operations or products, and any failure to comply with these laws and regulations, including as they evolve, could result in litigation and substantially harm its business and results of operations.
Polestar is or will be subject to complex environmental, manufacturing, and health and safety laws and regulations at numerous jurisdictional levels, including laws relating to the use, handling, storage, recycling, disposal, release of and exposure to hazardous materials and with respect to constructing, expanding and maintaining its facilities. For example, Polestar is subject to laws, regulations and regulatory agencies like EU Regulation 2018/858 in the EU, the Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) and NHTSA in the United States and the Provisions on the Administration of Investments in the Automotive Industry in China. The costs of compliance, including remediating contamination if any is found on Polestar’s properties and any changes to Polestar’s operations
mandated by new or amended laws, may be significant and such costs may increase in the event of new, or changes to existing, environmental or climate change laws, regulations or rules. Polestar may also face unexpected delays in obtaining permits and approvals required by such laws in connection with the manufacturing and sale of its vehicles, which would hinder its ability to conduct its operations. Such costs and delays may adversely impact its business prospects and results of operations. Furthermore, any violations of these laws may result in litigation, substantial fines and penalties, remediation costs, third party damages or a suspension or cessation of Polestar’s operations.
In addition, motor vehicles are subject to substantial regulation under international, federal, state and local laws. Polestar has incurred, and expects to continue to incur, significant costs in complying with these regulations. Any failures to comply could result in litigation, significant expenses, delays or fines. Generally, vehicles must meet or exceed mandated motor vehicle safety standards to be certified under applicable regulations. Rigorous testing and the use of approved materials and equipment are among the requirements for achieving certification. Any future vehicles will be subject to substantial regulation under federal, state and local laws and standards. These regulations include those promulgated by the EPA, NHTSA, other federal agencies, various state agencies and various state boards (including the California Air Resources Board (“CARB”)), and compliance certification is required for each new model year and changes to the model within a model year. These laws and standards are subject to change from time to time, and Polestar could become subject to additional regulations in the future, which would increase the effort and expense of compliance. In addition, federal, state and local laws and industrial standards for electric vehicles are still developing, and Polestar faces risks associated with changes to these regulations, which could have an impact on the acceptance of its electric vehicles, and increased sensitivity by regulators to the needs of established automobile manufacturers with large employment bases, high fixed costs and business models based on the internal combustion engine, which could lead them to pass regulations that could reduce the compliance costs of such established manufacturers or mitigate the effects of government efforts to promote electric vehicles. Compliance with these regulations is challenging, burdensome, time consuming and expensive. If compliance results in litigation, delays or substantial expenses, Polestar’s business could be adversely affected.
Polestar is also subject to laws and regulations applicable to the supply, manufacture, import, sale and service of automobiles internationally, including in Europe, North America and Asia Pacific. As Polestar expands, it will need to ensure its compliance with regulatory requirements in various jurisdictions. If Polestar fails to manage its growth effectively, its brand, business, prospects, financial condition and operating results may be harmed. Regulations such as standards relating to vehicle safety, fuel economy and emissions, among other things, often vary materially from country to country and compliance with such regulations will therefore require additional time, effort and expense to ensure regulatory compliance in those countries. This process may include official review and certification of Polestar’s vehicles by foreign regulatory agencies prior to market entry, as well as compliance with foreign reporting and recall management systems requirements. The costs of achieving international regulatory compliance or the failure to achieve international regulatory compliance could harm Polestar’s business, prospects, results of operations and financial condition.
Polestar may in the future be subject to legal proceedings, regulatory disputes and governmental inquiries that could cause it to incur significant expenses, divert its management’s attention and materially harm its business, results of operations, cash flows and financial condition.
From time to time, Polestar may be subject to claims, lawsuits, government investigations and other proceedings involving product liability, consumer protection, competition, antitrust and anti-subsidy, intellectual property, privacy, securities, tax, labor and employment, health and safety, its direct distribution model, environmental claims, commercial disputes, corporate and other matters that could adversely affect its business, results of operations, cash flows and financial condition. In the ordinary course of business, Polestar has been the subject of complaints or litigation, including claims related to consumer complaints and intellectual property matters.
Litigation and regulatory proceedings may be protracted and expensive, and the results are difficult to predict. Additionally, Polestar’s litigation costs could be significant, even if it achieves favorable outcomes. Adverse outcomes with respect to litigation or any of these legal proceedings may result in significant settlement costs or judgments, penalties and fines, or require Polestar to modify, make temporarily unavailable or stop manufacturing or selling its vehicles in some or all markets, all of which could negatively affect its sales and revenue growth and adversely affect its business, prospects, results of operations, cash flows and financial condition. The results of litigation, investigations, claims and regulatory proceedings cannot be predicted with certainty, and determining reserves for pending litigation and other legal and regulatory matters requires significant judgment. There can be no assurances that Polestar’s expectations will prove correct, and even if these matters are resolved in Polestar’s favor or without significant cash settlements, these matters, and the time and resources necessary to litigate or resolve them, could harm Polestar’s business, results of operations, cash flows and financial condition. In addition, the threat or announcement of litigation or investigations by governmental authorities or other parties, irrespective of the merits of the underlying claims, may itself have an adverse impact on the trading price of the Company’s securities.
Polestar’s manufacturing partners may be exposed to delays, limitations and risks related to the environmental permits and other operating permits required to operate manufacturing facilities for its vehicles.
Operation of an automobile manufacturing facility requires land use and environmental permits and other operating permits from federal, state and local government entities. Polestar plans to expand its manufacturing capacities by entering into additional agreements with its manufacturing partners over time to achieve a future target production capacity and will be required to apply for and secure various environmental (including wastewater) and land use permits and certificates of occupancy necessary for the commercial operation and occupation of such expanded and additional facilities and will also rely on its partners’ ability to apply for and secure various environmental and land use permits and certificates of occupancy necessary for the commercial operation and
occupation of such expanded and additional facilities. Delays, denials or restrictions on any of the applications for or assignment of the permits to operate Polestar’s manufacturing facilities could adversely affect its ability to execute on its business plans and objectives based on its current target production capacity or its future target production capacity.
Polestar and its manufacturing partners are and will be subject to various environmental, health and safety laws and regulations that could impose substantial costs on it and cause delays in expanding its production capabilities.
Polestar and its manufacturing partners’ operations are subject to federal, state and local environmental laws and regulations in different jurisdictions and are and will be subject to international environmental laws, including laws relating to the use, handling, storage, disposal of and human exposure to hazardous materials. Environmental, health and safety laws and regulations are complex and continuously evolving, and Polestar’s compliance obligations as a stand-alone company under such laws are still relatively new. Moreover, Polestar and its manufacturing partners may be affected by future amendments to such laws or other new environmental, health and safety laws and regulations which may require it to change or otherwise adapt its operations in order to comply, potentially resulting in a material and adverse effect on its business, prospects, results of operations and financial condition. These laws can give rise to liability for administrative oversight costs, cleanup costs, property damage, bodily injury, fines and penalties. Capital and operating expenses needed to comply with environmental laws and regulations can be significant, and violations could result in litigation and substantial fines and penalties, third-party damages, suspension of production, cessation of operations or negative reputational concerns, any of which could adversely affect Polestar’s business, prospects, results of operations and financial condition.
Polestar is and will be subject to anti-corruption, anti-bribery, anti-money laundering, financial and economic sanctions and similar laws, and noncompliance with such laws can subject Polestar to administrative, civil and criminal penalties, collateral consequences, remedial measures and legal expenses, all of which could adversely affect its business, results of operations, financial condition and reputation.
Polestar is and will be subject to anti-corruption, anti-bribery, anti-money laundering, financial and economic sanctions, and similar laws and regulations in various jurisdictions in which it conducts activities, including the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (“FCPA”), the United Kingdom Bribery Act 2010 (“Bribery Act”) and other applicable anti-corruption laws and regulations. These applicable anti-corruption laws and regulations, among other things, prohibit Polestar and its officers, directors, employees and relevant other persons acting on its behalf, from corruptly offering, promising, authorizing or providing anything of value to a “foreign official” for the purposes of influencing official decisions or obtaining or retaining business or otherwise obtaining favorable treatment. These laws and regulations apply worldwide. The FCPA also requires companies to make and keep books, records and accounts that accurately reflect transactions and dispositions of assets and to maintain a system of adequate internal accounting controls. Similarly, it is a defense under section 7 of the Bribery Act if a company has implemented “adequate procedures” designed to ensure compliance with the provisions of the Bribery Act. A violation of these laws or regulations could adversely affect Polestar’s business, reputation, financial condition and results of operations.
Polestar has direct or indirect interactions with officials and employees of government agencies and state-owned affiliated entities in the ordinary course of business. It also has business collaborations with government agencies and state-owned affiliated entities. These interactions subject Polestar to an increasing level of compliance-related concerns. Polestar has implemented policies and procedures designed to ensure compliance by Polestar and its directors, officers, employees, representatives, consultants, agents and business partners with applicable anti-corruption, anti-bribery, anti-money laundering, financial and economic sanctions and similar laws and regulations, including the FCPA and the Bribery Act. However, its policies and procedures may not be sufficient and its directors, officers, employees and relevant other persons acting on its behalf could engage in improper conduct for which Polestar may be held responsible.
Non-compliance with anti-corruption, anti-bribery, anti-money laundering or financial and economic sanctions laws could subject Polestar to whistleblower complaints, adverse media coverage, investigations and severe administrative, civil and criminal sanctions, collateral consequences, remedial measures and legal expenses, all of which could materially and adversely affect Polestar’s business, reputation, financial condition and results of operations.
The unavailability, reduction, elimination or the conditionality of certain government and economic programs could have a material and adverse effect on Polestar’s business, prospects, financial condition and results of operations.
Polestar has benefited from government subsidies, economic incentives and government policies that support the growth of electric vehicles. These government and economic programs are subject to certain limits as well as changes that are beyond Polestar’s control, and Polestar cannot assure you that future changes, if any, would be favorable to its business and could result in margin pressures. For example, recent U.S. legislative efforts, including the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (“IRA”), may reduce or eliminate federal tax incentives available for purchasers of Polestar vehicles, thereby diminishing the competitiveness of Polestar in the U.S. market. Further, any uncertainty or delay in collection of the government subsidies may also have an adverse impact on Polestar’s financial condition. In addition, Polestar may not be able to obtain or agree on acceptable terms and conditions for all or a significant portion of the government grants, loans and other incentives for which it may apply. Any of the foregoing could materially and adversely affect Polestar’s business, financial condition and results of operations.
The IRA, which was enacted into law on August 16, 2022, modifies the tax credit taxpayers are eligible to claim pursuant to Section 30D of the Code (the “30D tax credit”) for electric vehicle purchases on or after January 1, 2023 until December 31, 2032. The IRA placed certain restrictions on both taxpayers eligible to claim such credit via maximum income restrictions and the type of electric vehicles for which the credit may be claimed. Electric vehicles eligible for the 30D tax credit must, among other requirements, (i) be priced below $55,000 (or $80,000 in the case of vans, sport utility vehicles and pickup trucks), (ii) finally assembled in North America
and (iii) meet certain assembly and sourcing requirements for both the vehicle itself and the battery, including final assembly of the vehicle and sourcing of a percentage of battery components in North America. Although the IRS is continuing to release guidance on the new requirements imposed by the IRA and Polestar 3 is set to start production in South Carolina during summer 2024, Polestar does not currently meet other 30D tax credit eligibility requirements, and its vehicles may suffer a price disadvantage in the U.S. market as compared to electric vehicles of certain competitors that meet all of the requirements for eligibility under the 30D tax credit. Polestar has entered into an agreement with the IRS to become a “qualified manufacturer,” but as described in the previous sentence, does not currently have specific makes or models of eligible vehicles listed with the IRS. Given the importance of the U.S. market to Polestar’s future business plans, a prolonged or permanent inability to offer electric vehicles that are eligible for the 30D tax credit could materially and adversely affect Polestar’s business, financial condition and results of operations.
If Polestar’s estimates or judgments relating to its critical accounting policies are based on assumptions that change or prove to be incorrect, Polestar’s results of operations could fall below expectations of securities analysts and investors, resulting in a decline in the market price of its ordinary shares.
The preparation of financial statements in conformity with International Financial Reporting Standards ("IFRS") requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes. Polestar bases its estimates on historical experience and on various other assumptions that it believes to be reasonable under the circumstances, the results of which form the basis for making judgments about the carrying values of assets, liabilities, equity, revenue and expenses that are not readily apparent from other sources. Significant assumptions and estimates used in preparing Polestar’s consolidated financial statements include those related to revenue recognition, inventory valuation, income taxes, impairment of long-lived assets, share-based compensation, operating leases and fair value of financial instruments requiring the use of level 2 or level 3 inputs. If these assumptions change or if actual circumstances differ from those in these assumptions, Polestar’s results of operations may be adversely affected and may fall below the expectations of securities analysts and investors, resulting in a decline in the market price of Polestar’s ordinary shares.
Although the audit report included in this Report is prepared by auditors who are currently inspected fully by the United States Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (the “PCAOB”), there is no guarantee that future audit reports will be prepared by auditors that are completely inspected by the PCAOB and, as such, future investors may be deprived of such inspections, which could result in limitations or restrictions to the Company’s access to U.S. capital markets. Furthermore, trading in the Company’s securities on any U.S. stock exchange may be prohibited under the HFCAA or the Accelerating Holding Foreign Companies Accountable Act if the SEC subsequently determines that the Company’s audit work is performed by auditors that the PCAOB is unable to inspect or investigate completely and, as a result, U.S. national securities exchanges, such as Nasdaq, may determine to delist the Company’s securities. Furthermore, the Accelerating Holding Foreign Companies Accountable Act, amends the HFCAA and requires the SEC to prohibit an issuer’s securities from trading on any U.S. stock exchange if its auditor is not subject to PCAOB inspections for two consecutive years instead of three.
As an auditor of companies that are registered with the SEC and publicly traded in the United States and a firm registered with the PCAOB, Deloitte is required under the laws of the United States to undergo regular inspections by the PCAOB to assess their compliance with the laws of the United States and professional standards. Although Polestar relies on its and its partners’ operations within China, a jurisdiction where historically the PCAOB has encountered difficulty with conducting inspections, Deloitte is currently inspected fully by the PCAOB.
Inspections of other auditors conducted by the PCAOB outside China have at times identified deficiencies in those auditors’ audit procedures and quality control procedures, which may be addressed as part of the inspection process to improve future audit quality. The lack of PCAOB inspections of audit work undertaken in China prevents the PCAOB from regularly evaluating auditors’ audits and their quality control procedures. As a result, to the extent that any component of Deloitte’s work papers are or become located in China, such work papers will not be subject to inspection by the PCAOB. As a result, investors would be deprived of such PCAOB inspections, which could result in limitations or restrictions to the Company’s access of the U.S. capital markets. Further, U.S. legislators and regulators have in recent years voiced concerns about risks associated with investing in companies that are based in or have substantial operations in emerging markets, including China. In particular, lawmakers have highlighted the increased risks associated with companies whose independent auditors are unable to be inspected by the PCAOB.
There can be no assurance that the Company will be able to comply with requirements imposed by U.S. regulators. The market price of the Company’s securities could be adversely affected as a result of anticipated negative impacts of these executive or legislative actions upon, as well as negative investor sentiment towards, companies reliant upon operations in China that are listed in the United States, regardless of whether these executive or legislative actions are implemented and regardless of the Company’s actual operating performance.
Risks Related to Intellectual Property
Much of the intellectual property pertaining to Polestar’s vehicles is owned by Volvo Cars and Geely and licensed, in some cases on a non-exclusive basis, to Polestar. Accordingly, Polestar may lack certain advantages that competitors or owners of intellectual property, as opposed to licensees, typically have, with respect to some of such intellectual property, such as the ability to enforce intellectual property rights against infringers or the ability to effectively defend against infringement suits that may be initiated against Polestar.
Polestar licenses much of the intellectual property that relates to its vehicles from Volvo Cars and Geely. Thus, in instances where license agreements do not give Polestar the right to defend the intellectual property, Volvo Cars or Geely rather than Polestar enjoys
the rights intellectual property owners typically enjoy for certain of such intellectual property, such as the right to bring a lawsuit against a suspected infringer, the right to grant licenses to third parties, and the right to prosecute patent applications. If Polestar suspected such intellectual property were being infringed, e.g., by a competitor, in some cases, it would not be able to stop the infringement without Volvo Cars’ or Geely’s cooperation, which it may or may not at the relevant time be in Volvo Cars’ or Geely’s interest to provide. Some of the intellectual property Polestar licenses from Volvo Cars is licensed on a non-exclusive basis. This means that in principle Volvo Cars or Geely could use the same intellectual property itself, for its own account, and grant licenses to such intellectual property to third parties. Moreover, license agreements such as those with Volvo Cars or Geely may be subject to termination in certain instances. In any event, in such cases, Volvo Cars or Geely and not Polestar would have the right to obtain, maintain, enforce, and protect much of Volvo Cars’ or Geely’s intellectual property pertaining to Polestar’s business.
Polestar may fail to adequately obtain, maintain, enforce and protect relevant intellectual property and licensing rights, and may not be able to prevent third parties from unauthorized use of such intellectual property and related technology. If Polestar is unsuccessful in any of the foregoing, its competitive position could be harmed and it could be required to incur significant expenses to enforce its rights.
Polestar’s ability to compete effectively is dependent in part upon its ability to obtain, maintain, enforce and protect its intellectual property, proprietary technology and licensing rights, but it may not be able to prevent third parties from the unauthorized use of its intellectual property and proprietary technology (or its licensors’ intellectual property and proprietary technology, including Volvo Cars’ or Geely’s), which could harm its business and competitive position. Polestar establishes and protects its intellectual property and proprietary technology through a combination of licensing agreements, nondisclosure and confidentiality agreements and other contractual provisions, as well as through patent, trademark, copyright and trade secret laws in the United States and other jurisdictions. In addition, Polestar licenses material intellectual property from Volvo Cars and Geely. Despite Polestar’s efforts to obtain and protect intellectual property rights, there can be no assurance that these protections will be available in all cases or will be adequate or timely to prevent Polestar’s competitors or other third parties from copying, reverse engineering or otherwise obtaining and using Polestar’s or its licensors’ (including Volvo Cars’ or Geely’s) technology or seeking court declarations that they do not infringe, misappropriate or otherwise violate Polestar’s or its licensors’ (including Volvo Cars’ or Geely’s) intellectual property. Failure to adequately obtain, maintain, enforce and protect Polestar’s intellectual property could result in its competitors offering identical or similar products, potentially resulting in the loss of Polestar’s competitive advantage and a decrease in its revenue, which would adversely affect its business, prospects, financial condition and results of operations.
The measures Polestar takes to obtain, maintain, protect and enforce intellectual property rights, including preventing unauthorized use by third parties, may not be effective for various reasons, including the following:
•Polestar's licensors (including Volvo Cars and Geely) may have developed and may own the intellectual property, and Polestar may enjoy only a license to it without rights to prosecute patent applications, maintain patents, defend the validity of the intellectual property against challenges, or assert the intellectual property against suspected infringers;
•any patent application Polestar or its licensors (including Volvo Cars and Geely) files may not result in the issuance of a patent;
•Polestar or its licensors (including Volvo Cars and Geely) may not be the first inventor of the subject matter to which it has filed a particular patent application, and/or it may not be the first party to file such a patent application;
•the scope of issued patents may not be sufficient to protect the inventions and technology;
•issued patents may be challenged by its competitors or other third parties and invalidated by courts or other tribunals;
•patents have a finite term, and competitors and other third parties may offer identical or similar products after the expiration of patents that cover such products;
•employees, contractors or business partners (and the employees and contractors of business partners such as Volvo Cars and Geely) may breach their confidentiality, non-disclosure and non-use obligations;
•competitors and other third parties may independently develop technologies that are the same or similar to Polestar’s or its licensors (including Volvo Cars and Geely);
•the costs associated with enforcing patents or other intellectual property rights, or confidentiality and invention assignment agreements may make enforcement impracticable; and
•competitors and other third parties may circumvent or otherwise design around Polestar’s or its licensors (including Volvo Cars’ and Geely’s) patents or other intellectual property.
Patent, trademark, copyright and trade secret laws vary significantly throughout the world. The laws of some countries, including countries in which Polestar’s products are or will be sold, may not be as protective of intellectual property rights as those in the United States or Sweden, and mechanisms for obtaining and enforcing intellectual property rights may be ineffectual or inadequate. Therefore, Polestar’s and its licensors’ (including Volvo Cars’ and Geely’s) intellectual property may not be as strong or as predictably obtained or enforced outside of the United States or Sweden. Further, policing the unauthorized use of Polestar’s and its licensors’ (including Volvo Cars’ and Geely’s) intellectual property in some jurisdictions may be difficult or too expensive to be practical. In addition, third parties may seek to challenge, invalidate or circumvent patents, trademarks, copyrights, trade secrets or other intellectual property, or applications for any of the foregoing, which could permit Polestar’s competitors or other third parties to
develop and commercialize products and technologies that are the same or similar to Polestar’s or its licensors’ (including Volvo Cars’ and Geely’s).
While Polestar has registered and applied for registration of trademarks in an effort to protect its brand and goodwill with customers, competitors or other third parties have in the past and may in the future oppose its trademark applications or otherwise challenge Polestar’s use of the trademarks and other brand names in which it has invested. Such oppositions and challenges can be expensive and may adversely affect Polestar’s ability to maintain the goodwill gained in connection with a particular trademark. In addition, Polestar may lose its trademark rights if it is unable to submit specimens or other evidence of use by the applicable deadline to perfect such trademark rights.
It is Polestar’s policy to enter into confidentiality and invention assignment agreements with its employees and contractors that have developed material intellectual property for Polestar, but these agreements may not be self-executing and may not otherwise adequately protect Polestar’s intellectual property, particularly with respect to conflicts of ownership relating to work product generated by the employees and contractors. Furthermore, Polestar cannot be certain that these agreements will not be breached and that third parties will not improperly gain access to its trade secrets, know-how and other proprietary technology. Third parties may also independently develop the same or substantially similar proprietary technology. Monitoring unauthorized use of Polestar’s and its licensors’ (including Volvo Cars’ and Geely’s) intellectual property is difficult and costly, as are the steps Polestar has taken or will take to prevent misappropriation.
Polestar has acquired or licensed, and plans to further acquire licenses, patents and other intellectual property from third parties, including suppliers and service providers, and it may face claims that its use of this acquired or in-licensed technology infringes, misappropriates or otherwise violates the intellectual property rights of third parties. In such cases, Polestar will seek indemnification from its licensors or other applicable entities. However, Polestar’s rights to indemnification may be unavailable or insufficient to cover its costs and losses. Furthermore, disputes may arise with Polestar’s licensors or other applicable entities regarding the intellectual property subject to, and any of Polestar’s rights and obligations under, any license or other commercial agreement.
To prevent the unauthorized use of Polestar’s or its licensors’ (including Volvo Cars’ and Geely’s) intellectual property, it may be necessary to prosecute actions for infringement, misappropriation or other violation against third parties. Any such action could result in significant costs and diversion of Polestar’s resources and management’s attention, and there can be no assurances that Polestar will be successful in any such action or that its licensors (including Volvo Cars and Geely) will consent to institute or participate in such an action. Any such action may result in a loss of intellectual property rights. Furthermore, many of Polestar’s current and potential competitors have the ability to dedicate substantially greater resources to enforce their intellectual property rights than Polestar currently does. Accordingly, despite its efforts, Polestar may not be able to prevent third parties from infringing, misappropriating or otherwise violating intellectual property. Any of the foregoing could adversely affect Polestar’s business, prospects, financial condition and results of operations.
Polestar uses other parties’ software and other intellectual property in its proprietary software, including “open source” software. Any inability to continuously use such software or other intellectual property in the future could have a material adverse impact on Polestar’s business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.
Polestar uses open source software in its products and anticipates using open source software in the future. Some open source software licenses require those who distribute open source software as part of their own software product to publicly disclose all or part of the source code to such software product or to make available any derivative works of the open source code on unfavorable terms or at no cost, and Polestar may be subject to such terms. The terms of many open source licenses to which Polestar is subject have not been interpreted by U.S. or other courts, and there is a risk that open source software licenses could be construed in a manner that imposes unanticipated conditions or restrictions on Polestar’s ability to provide or distribute its products or services. Any actual or claimed requirement to disclose Polestar’s proprietary source code or pay damages for breach of contract or copyright infringement could harm Polestar’s business and could help third parties, including Polestar’s competitors, develop products and services that are similar to or better than Polestar’s. While Polestar monitors its use of open source software and tries to ensure that none is used in a manner that would require it to disclose its proprietary source code or that would otherwise breach the terms of an open source agreement, such use could inadvertently occur, or could be claimed to have occurred. Additionally, Polestar could face claims from third parties claiming ownership of, or demanding release of, the open source software or derivative works that it developed using such software, which could include its proprietary source code, or otherwise seeking to enforce the terms of the applicable open source license. These claims could result in litigation and could require Polestar to make its software source code freely available, purchase a costly license or cease offering the implicated products or services unless and until it can re-engineer them to avoid infringement, which may be a costly and time-consuming process, and Polestar may not be able to complete the re-engineering process successfully.
Additionally, the use of certain open source software can lead to greater risks than use of other parties’ commercial software, as open source licensors generally do not provide warranties or controls on the origin of software. There is typically no support available for open source software, and Polestar cannot ensure that the authors of such open source software will implement or push updates to address security risks or will not abandon further development and maintenance. Many of the risks associated with the use of open source software, such as the lack of warranties or assurances of title or performance, cannot be eliminated, and could, if not properly addressed, negatively affect Polestar’s business. Any of these risks could be difficult to eliminate or manage and, if not addressed, could have a material and adverse effect on Polestar’s business, financial condition and results of operations.
Polestar may become subject to claims of intellectual property infringement by third parties which, regardless of merit, could be time-consuming and costly and result in significant legal liability, and could negatively impact Polestar’s business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.
Polestar’s competitors or other third parties may hold or obtain patents, copyrights, trademarks or other proprietary rights that could prevent, limit or interfere with Polestar’s ability to make, use, develop, sell or market Polestar’s products and services, which could make it more difficult for Polestar to operate. From time to time, the holders of such intellectual property rights may assert their rights and urge Polestar to take licenses and/ or may bring suits alleging infringement or misappropriation of such rights, which could result in substantial costs, negative publicity and management attention, regardless of merit. While Polestar endeavors to obtain and protect the intellectual property rights that it expects will allow it to retain or advance its strategic initiatives, there can be no assurance that it will be able to adequately identify and protect the portions of intellectual property that are strategic to its business, or mitigate the risk of potential suits or other legal demands by its competitors. Accordingly, Polestar may consider entering into licensing agreements with respect to such rights, although no assurance can be given that such licenses can be obtained on acceptable terms or that litigation will not occur, and such licenses and associated litigation could significantly increase Polestar’s operating expenses. In addition, if Polestar is determined to have or believes there is a high likelihood that it has infringed upon a third party’s intellectual property rights, it may be required to cease making, selling or incorporating certain components or intellectual property into its goods and services, to pay substantial damages and/or license royalties, to redesign its products and services and/or to establish and maintain alternative branding for its products and services. In the event that Polestar is required to take one or more such actions, its brand, business, financial condition and operating results may be harmed.
Risks Related to Tax
Unanticipated tax laws, changes in the application or interpretation of existing tax laws to Polestar or Polestar’s customers, changes to tax rates or challenges to Polestar's tax positions may adversely impact its profitability and business.
Polestar operates and is subject to income and other taxes in Sweden, China, the United Kingdom, the United States and a growing number of other jurisdictions throughout the world. Existing domestic and foreign tax laws, statutes, rules, regulations or ordinances could be interpreted, changed, modified or applied adversely to Polestar (possibly with retroactive effect), which could require Polestar to change its transfer pricing policies and pay additional tax amounts, fines or penalties, surcharges and interest charges for past amounts due, the amounts and timing of which are difficult to discern. This is also the case with regard to the application of transfer pricing rules to transactions or other provisions between Polestar entities. Existing tax laws, statutes, rules, regulations or ordinances could also be interpreted, changed, modified or applied adversely to Polestar’s customers (possibly with retroactive effect) and, if Polestar’s customers are required to pay additional surcharges, it could adversely affect demand for Polestar’s vehicles. Furthermore, changes to tax laws on income, sales, use, import/export, indirect or other tax laws, statutes, rules, regulations or ordinances on multinational corporations continue to be considered by countries in the European Union, the United States and other countries where Polestar currently operates or plans to operate. These contemplated tax initiatives, if finalized and adopted by countries, and the other tax issues described above may materially and adversely impact Polestar’s operating activities, effective tax rate, deferred tax assets, operating income and cash flows. Polestar often relies on generally available interpretations of applicable tax laws and regulations. There cannot be certainty that the relevant tax authorities are in agreement with Polestar's interpretation of these laws. If Polestar's tax positions are challenged by relevant tax authorities, the imposition of additional taxes could require Polestar to pay taxes that it currently does not collect or pay or increase the costs of Polestar's services to track and collect such taxes, which could increase Polestar's costs of operations or Polestar's effective tax rate and have a negative effect on Polestar's business, financial condition and results of operations. The occurrence of any of the foregoing tax risks could have a material adverse effect on Polestar's business, financial condition and results of operations.
Transfers of ADSs or the underlying Company securities may be subject to stamp duty or stamp duty reserve tax in the U.K., which would increase the cost of dealing in the Company’s securities.
Stamp duty or stamp duty reserve tax (“SDRT”) is imposed in the U.K. on certain transfers of chargeable securities (which include securities in companies incorporated in the U.K.) at a rate of 0.5% of the consideration paid for the transfer. Certain transfers of securities to depositories or into clearance systems may be charged at a higher rate of 1.5%, unless an election has been made and maintained by the depository or clearance system under section 97A of the UK Finance Act 1986. Polestar is not aware of any such election having been made. No UK stamp duty or SDRT should arise in respect of an issue of ordinary shares into a depository or clearance system or a transfer where it forms an integral part of capital raising.
Any stamp duty or SDRT payable on a transfer of the underlying Company securities to a depository or a clearance system will in practice generally be paid by the transferors or participants in the depository or a clearance system.
Transfers of ADSs representing underlying Company securities that have been deposited with the depository, which will take place in book entry form through the Depository Trust Company (“DTC”), currently do not attract a charge to stamp duty or SDRT in the U.K., provided no written instrument of transfer is used to effect the transfer. If, following a change in law, transfers of Company securities effected through DTC attracted a charge to SDRT or stamp duty, then this would increase the cost of dealing in the Company securities.
A transfer of title in the underlying Company securities from the depository to another person and any subsequent transfers of title in the Company securities will generally attract a charge to stamp duty or SDRT at a rate of 0.5% of any consideration, which is generally payable by the transferee of the underlying Company securities. To the extent such transfer is effected by a written instrument of transfer, then any such duty must be paid (and the relevant instrument of transfer stamped by HM Revenue & Customs (“HMRC”)) before the transfer can be registered in the register of members of the Company. However, if those underlying Company securities are redeposited with the depository otherwise than in course of arrangements to raise new capital, the redeposit is expected to attract stamp duty or SDRT at the rate of 1.5% of the value of the Company securities, which will, in practice, be required to be paid by the transferor.
The Company may be classified as a passive foreign investment company for U.S. federal income tax purposes, which could result in adverse U.S. federal income tax consequences to U.S. Holders of ADSs.
A foreign corporation will be treated as a “passive foreign investment company,” or “PFIC,” for U.S. federal income tax purposes if either (i) 75% or more of the gross income for a taxable year constitutes passive income for purposes of the PFIC rules, or (ii) 50% or more of such foreign corporation’s assets in any taxable year is attributable to assets, including cash, that produce passive income or are held for the production of passive income. Passive income generally includes dividends, interest, royalties and certain rents. U.S. shareholders of a PFIC are subject to a disadvantageous U.S. federal income tax regime with respect to the income derived by the PFIC, the distributions they receive from the PFIC, and the gain, if any, they derive from the sale or other disposition of their interests in the PFIC.
Based on the current and projected composition of the Company’s income and assets, the Company does not believe it was classified as a PFIC for its most recent taxable year ended on December 31, 2023 and does not expect to be classified as a PFIC for the current taxable year or, to the best of its current estimates, for subsequent taxable years. However, the application of the PFIC rules is subject to uncertainty as the composition of the Company’s income and assets may change in the future and, therefore, no assurances can be provided that the Company will not be a PFIC for the current taxable year or in a future year. It is also possible that the IRS would not agree with the Company’s conclusion, or that U.S. tax laws could change significantly. For additional information, see Item 10.E “Additional Information—Taxation—Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations.”
As a result of the Business Combination, the IRS may not agree that the Company is a foreign corporation for U.S. federal tax purposes.
A corporation generally is considered to be a tax resident for U.S. federal income tax purposes in the jurisdiction of its organization or incorporation. Accordingly, under the generally applicable U.S. federal income tax rules, the Company, which is incorporated under the laws of England and Wales, would be classified as a non-U.S. corporation (and, therefore, not a U.S. tax resident) for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Section 7874 of the Code provides an exception to this general rule under which a non-U.S. incorporated entity may, in certain circumstances, be treated as a U.S. corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes. If the Company were to be treated as a U.S. corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes as a result of the Business Combination, it could be subject to substantial liability for additional U.S. income taxes. However, dividend payments to U.S. Holders (as defined below) would generally constitute “qualified dividends” and be subject to tax at the rates accorded to long-term capital gains. In addition, even if the Company is not treated as a U.S. corporation, it may be subject to unfavorable treatment as a “surrogate foreign corporation” in the event that, following the Business Combination, ownership attributable to former GGI stockholders and certain other U.S. investors exceeded a threshold amount. If it were determined that the Company is treated as a surrogate foreign corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes under Section 7874 of the Code and the Treasury regulations promulgated thereunder, dividends paid by the Company would not qualify for “qualified dividend income” treatment, and U.S. affiliates of the Company could be subject to increased taxation under the inversion gain rules and the “base erosion anti-abuse tax” of Section 59A of the Code. Furthermore, the ability of the U.S. subsidiaries of the Company to utilize certain U.S. tax attributes against income or gain recognized pursuant to certain transactions could be limited.
Polestar does not believe the Company should be treated as a U.S. corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes or otherwise be subject to unfavorable treatment as a surrogate foreign corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes as a result of the Business Combination. However, the rules for determining ownership under Section 7874 of the Code are complex and unclear and there is no assurance the IRS may agree with Polestar’s determination of ownership of the Company for purposes of Section 7874 of the Code. For additional discussion of the U.S. federal income tax treatment of the Company, see Item 10 “Additional Information.”
Polestar may be unable to utilize certain of its deferred tax assets, which could increase its future tax expenses.
Due to Polestar scaling its research and development expenses to meet the demands of its growing operations, it has generated tax losses since inception. As of December 31, 2023, Polestar had cumulative carryforward losses of $3,379 million. While tax losses in Sweden have an indefinite carryforward period, the carryforward period in China, where Polestar had a carryforward balance of $547 million as of December 31, 2023, is only five years. As a consequence, the ability of Polestar to utilize certain portions of its deferred tax assets to reduce taxes payable on future Polestar profits, should such profits ever arise, may be limited.
Risks Related to Financing and Strategic Transactions
Polestar will require additional capital to support business growth, and this capital might not be available on commercially reasonable terms, or at all.
Polestar anticipates that it will need to raise additional funds through equity or debt financings. Polestar’s business is capital-intensive, and Polestar expects that the costs and expenses associated with its planned operations will continue to increase in the near term. Polestar does not expect to achieve positive cash flow from operations until late 2025, if at all. Polestar’s plan to grow its business is dependent upon the timely availability of funds and further investment in development, component procurement, testing and the build-out of manufacturing capabilities. In addition, the fact that Polestar has a limited operating history means that it has limited historical data on the demand for its vehicles. As a result, Polestar’s future capital requirements are uncertain, and actual capital requirements may be greater than what it currently anticipates.
If Polestar raises additional funds through further issuances of equity or convertible debt securities, Polestar’s shareholders could suffer significant dilution and economic loss, and any new equity securities Polestar issues could have rights, preferences and privileges superior to those of holders of Polestar’s current equity securities. Any debt financing in the future could involve additional restrictive covenants relating to Polestar’s capital raising activities and other financial and operational matters, which may make it more difficult for Polestar to obtain additional capital and to pursue business opportunities, including potential acquisitions.
Further, Polestar’s ability to obtain such financing could be adversely affected by a number of other factors, including general conditions in the global economy and in the global financial markets, interest rate changes and investor acceptance of its business model. For more information, also see “—Risks Related to Polestar’s Business and Industry—Changes in foreign currency rates, interest rate risks, or inflation could materially affect Polestar’s results of operations”, Item 5 “Operating and Financial Review and
Prospects—Key factors affecting performance—Impact of the Russo-Ukrainian War,” and Item 5 “Operating and Financial Review and Prospects—Key factors affecting performance—Inflation.” These factors may make the timing, amount, terms and conditions of such financing unattractive or unavailable to Polestar. If Polestar is unable to obtain adequate financing or financing on terms satisfactory to it, when it requires it, Polestar will have to significantly reduce its spending, delay or cancel its planned activities or substantially change its corporate structure, and it might not have sufficient resources to conduct or support its business as projected, which would have a material and adverse effect on its results of operations, prospects and financial condition.
Polestar’s financial results may vary significantly from period to period due to fluctuations in its operating costs, product demand and other factors.
Polestar expects its period-to-period financial results to vary based on its operating costs and product demand, which it anticipates will fluctuate as it continues to design, develop and manufacture new vehicles, increase production capacity and establish or expand design, research and development, production, sales and service facilities. Polestar’s revenues from period to period may fluctuate as it identifies and investigates areas of demand, adjusts volumes and adds new product derivatives based on market demand and margin opportunities, develops and introduces new vehicles or introduces existing vehicles to new markets for the first time. In addition, automotive manufacturers typically experience significant seasonality, with comparatively low sales in the first quarter and comparatively high sales in the fourth quarter. Polestar’s period-to-period results of operations may also fluctuate because of other factors including labor availability and costs for hourly and management personnel; profitability of its vehicles, especially in new markets; changes in interest rates; impairment of long-lived assets; macroeconomic conditions, both internationally and locally; negative publicity relating to its vehicles; changes in consumer preferences and competitive conditions; or investment in expansion into new markets. As a result of these factors, Polestar believes that period-to-period comparisons of its financial results, especially in the short term, may have limited utility as an indicator of future performance. Significant variation in Polestar’s quarterly performance could significantly and adversely affect the trading price of the ADSs.
Risks Related to Ownership of Polestar’s Securities
The market price and trading volumes of the ADSs may be volatile and could significantly decline.
The Nasdaq stock market, on which Polestar has listed the Class A ADSs and the Class C-1 ADSs under the symbols “PSNY” and “PSNYW,” respectively, have from time to time experienced significant price and volume fluctuations. An active trading market for Polestar’s ADSs may not be sustained, may be volatile and could decline significantly. You may be unable to sell your ADSs if an active trading market cannot be sustained. Fluctuations in the price of the ADSs could contribute to the loss of all or part of your investment. The trading price of the ADSs could be volatile and subject to wide fluctuations in response to various factors, some of which are beyond Polestar’s control. Any of the factors listed below could have a material and adverse effect on the trading price of the ADSs, which may trade at prices significantly below the price you paid. In such circumstances, the trading price of the ADSs may not recover and may experience a further decline.
Factors affecting the trading price of the ADSs may include:
•actual or anticipated fluctuations in Polestar’s periodic financial results or the periodic financial results of companies perceived to be similar to Polestar;
•actual or anticipated differences in Polestar’s estimates, or in the estimates of analysts, for Polestar’s revenues, results of operations, level of indebtedness, liquidity or financial condition;
•changes in the market’s expectations about Polestar’s operating results;
•the public’s reaction to Polestar’s press releases, other public announcements and filings with the SEC;
•speculation in the press or investment community;
•performance and market valuations of other similar companies;
•broad disruptions in the financial markets, including sudden disruptions in the credit markets;
•Polestar’s operating results failing to meet the expectation of securities analysts or investors in a particular period;
•changes in financial estimates and recommendations by securities analysts concerning Polestar or the market in general;
•operating and stock price performance of other companies that investors deem comparable to Polestar;
•Polestar’s ability to market new and enhanced features or services on a timely basis;
•changes in laws and regulations affecting Polestar’s business;
•commencement of, or involvement in, litigation involving Polestar;
•changes in Polestar’s capital structure, such as future issuances of securities or the incurrence of additional debt;
•the volume of ADSs available for public sale;
•trading volume of the ADSs on Nasdaq;
•any major change in the Board or management;
•sales of substantial amounts of ADSs by Polestar’s directors, officers or significant stockholders or the perception that such sales could occur;
•the realization of any of the risk factors presented in this Report;
•additions or departures of key personnel;
•failure to comply with the requirements of Nasdaq;
•failure to comply with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act or other laws or regulations;
•future issuances, sales, resales or repurchases, or anticipated issuances, sales, resales or repurchases, of our securities;
•publication of research reports about us;
•actual, potential or perceived control, accounting or reporting problems;
•changes in accounting principles, policies and guidelines; and
•other events or factors, general economic or political conditions, including recessions, changes in interest rates, international currency fluctuations, health epidemics and pandemics, natural disasters, inflation, changes in diplomatic and trade relationships and acts of war or terrorism.
Broad market and industry factors may materially harm the market price of the ADSs irrespective of Polestar’s operating performance. The stock market in general and Nasdaq have experienced price and volume fluctuations that have often been unrelated or disproportionate to the operating performance of the particular companies affected. The trading prices and valuations of these stocks, and of Polestar’s securities, may not be predictable. A loss of investor confidence in the market for the stocks of other companies that investors perceive to be similar to Polestar could depress the price of ADSs regardless of Polestar’s business, prospects, financial conditions or results of operations. A decline in the market price of the ADSs also could adversely affect its ability to issue additional securities and obtain additional financing in the future.
Additionally, the distribution by Volvo Cars' of a portion of its Polestar securities to Volvo Cars' shareholders may cause an increase in trading volume and selling pressure of Polestar's securities, further contributing to market price and trading volatility.
In the past, securities class action litigation has often been initiated against companies following periods of volatility in their stock price. This type of litigation could result in substantial costs and divert management’s attention and resources, and could also require Polestar to make substantial payments to satisfy judgments or to settle litigation.
The grant and future exercise of registration rights may adversely affect the market price of the ADSs.
Pursuant to the Registration Rights Agreement, the Registration Rights Holders can each demand that Polestar register their registrable securities under certain circumstances and will each also have piggyback registration rights for these securities in connection with certain registrations of securities that Polestar undertakes. In addition, Polestar is required to file and maintain an effective registration statement under the Securities Act covering such securities and certain other securities of Polestar.
The registration of the resale of these securities will permit the public sale of such securities. The registration and availability of such a significant number of securities for trading in the public market may have an adverse effect on the market price of ADSs.
The Class C ADSs will be exercisable for the Class A ADSs, which would increase the number of ADSs eligible for future resale in the public market and result in dilution to its shareholders.
GGI issued GGI Public Warrants to purchase 16,000,000 shares of GGI Class A Common Stock as part of the GGI initial public offering, consummated on March 25, 2021, and, on the closing date of the GGI initial public offering, GGI issued Private Placement Warrants to the GGI Sponsor to purchase 9,000,000 shares of GGI Class A Common Stock, in each case at $11.50 per share. The GGI Private Placement Warrants were identical to the GGI Public Warrants sold as part of the GGI public units (consisting of one share of GGI Class A Common Stock and one-fifth of one GGI Public Warrant) except that, so long as they are held by the GGI Sponsor or its permitted transferees: (i) they may not be redeemable by GGI, except as described in the SPAC Warrant Agreement; (ii) they (including the GGI Class A Common Stock issuable upon exercise of these warrants) may not, subject to certain limited exceptions, be transferred, assigned or sold by the GGI Sponsor until 30 days after the completion of an initial business combination involving GGI and one or more businesses; (iii) they may be exercised by the holders on a cashless basis; and (iv) they are subject to registration rights. The GGI Warrants were exercisable on the later of 30 days after the consummation of the Business Combination.
In connection with the Business Combination, each GGI Warrant converted into a Class C ADS, of which the underlying Class C Share is exercisable for a Class A ADS representing one Class C Share and subject to substantially the same terms as were applicable to the GGI Warrants under the SPAC Warrant Agreement. Please see Item 12 “Description of Securities Other Than Equity Securities.” The Class A ADSs issued upon exercise of the Class C ADSs will result in dilution to then existing Company shareholders and increase the number of AD securities eligible for resale in the public market. Sales of substantial numbers of such shares in the public market could adversely affect the market price of Class A ADSs.
There is no guarantee that the Class C ADSs will ever be in the money, and they may expire worthless.
The exercise price for the Class C ADSs is $11.50 per Class C ADS (excluding any fees due to the depository in connection with the conversion of the Class C ADSs and the issuance of the Class A ADSs). There is no guarantee that the Class C ADS will ever be in the money prior to their expiration, and as such, the Class C ADSs may expire worthless.
Polestar may amend the terms of the Class C ADSs in a manner that may be adverse to holders. As a result, the exercise price of your Class C ADSs could be increased, the exercise period could be shortened and the number of Class A ADSs purchasable upon exercise of a Class C ADS could be decreased, all without your approval. With respect to the Class C-1 ADSs, in accordance with the U.K. Companies Act 2006 (the “Companies Act”) and the Polestar Articles, such amendment would require (i) in order to amend the relevant provisions in the Polestar Articles, a special resolution (requiring approval by at least 75% of members entitled to vote at a meeting of members of Polestar) and (ii) written consent to such amendment by holders of at least 75% of the then-outstanding Class C-1 ADSs.
Polestar may redeem unexpired Class C-1 ADSs prior to their exercise at a time that is disadvantageous to holders, thereby making their Class C-1 ADSs worthless.
Polestar has the ability to redeem outstanding Class C-1 ADSs at any time prior to their expiration, at a price of $0.01 per Class C-1 ADS; provided that the last reported sales price of Class A ADSs equals or exceeds $18.00 per share for any 20 trading days within a 30 trading-day period ending on the third trading day prior to the date on which Polestar gives proper notice of such redemption to the holders of Class C-1 ADSs and provided certain other conditions are met. Polestar will not redeem the Class C-1 ADSs unless an effective registration statement under the Securities Act covering the issuance of the Class A ADSs issuable upon exercise of the Class C-1 ADSs is effective and a current prospectus relating to those Class C-1 ADSs is available throughout the 30-day redemption period, except if the Class C-1 ADSs may be exercised on a cashless basis and such cashless exercise is exempt from registration under the Securities Act. If and when the Class C-1 ADSs become redeemable by Polestar, Polestar may exercise its redemption right even if Polestar is unable to register or qualify the underlying securities for sale under all applicable state securities laws. Redemption of the outstanding Class C-1 ADSs could force the holders of such Class C-1 ADSs: (i) to exercise their Class C-1 ADSs and pay the exercise price therefor at a time when it may be disadvantageous for them to do so; (ii) to sell their Class C-1 ADSs at the then-current market price when they might otherwise wish to hold their Class C-1 ADSs; or (iii) to accept the nominal redemption price which, at the time the outstanding Class C-1 ADSs are called for redemption, is likely to be substantially less than the market value of their Class C-1 ADSs. Additionally, if a significant number of holders of Class C-1 ADSs exercise their Class C-1 ADSs instead of accepting the nominal redemption price, the issuance of these Class A ADSs would dilute other equity holders, which could reduce the market price of Class A ADSs. As of the date of this Report, the Class A ADSs have never traded above $18.00 per share.
In addition, Polestar may redeem Class C-1 ADSs for a number of Class A ADSs determined based on the redemption date and the fair market value of Class A ADSs, starting at a trading price of $10.00. Any such redemption may have similar consequences to a cash redemption described above. In addition, such redemption may occur at a time when the Class C-1 ADSs are “out-of-the-money,” in which case holders of Class C-1 ADSs would lose any potential embedded value from a subsequent increase in the value of the Class A ADSs had such holders’ Class C-1 ADSs remained outstanding. None of the Class C-2 ADSs will be redeemable by Polestar (except as set forth in the Polestar Articles) so long as they are held by the GGI Sponsor or its permitted transferees. The Class A ADSs currently trade below $10.00.
In the event Polestar elects to redeem the outstanding Class C-1 ADSs, Polestar will fix a date for the redemption (the “Class C Redemption Date”) and provide notice of the redemption to be mailed by first class mail, postage prepaid by Polestar not less than 30 days prior to the Class C Redemption Date to the registered holders of the Class C-1 ADSs (who will, in turn, notify the beneficial holders thereof). For addition information regarding the Class C-2 ADSs and the Class C-1 ADSs, please see the applicable sections in the Polestar Articles.
Polestar may issue additional equity securities or convertible debt securities without the approval of the holders of the ADSs, which would dilute ownership interests and may depress the market price of the ADSs.
Polestar will continue to require significant capital investment to support its business, and Polestar may issue equity securities or convertible debt securities of equal or senior rank in the future without approval of the holders of the ADSs in certain circumstances. Additionally, the shareholder loan facility between Polestar and each of Snita and Geely give Snita and Geely the option to convert borrowings under such facilities into equity upon certain financing events. Any such conversion would result in a dilution to our existing ADSs holders,
Polestar’s issuance of additional equity securities or convertible debt securities of equal or senior rank may have the following effects: (i) Polestar’s shareholders’ proportionate ownership interest in Polestar may decrease; (ii) the amount of cash available per share, including for payment of dividends in the future, may decrease; (iii) the relative voting power of each previously outstanding Class A ADS may be diminished; and (iv) the market price of ADSs may decline.
Furthermore, certain employees of Polestar and its subsidiaries have been granted equity awards under the Equity Plan, and it is anticipated that certain employees of Polestar and its subsidiaries may receive future grants of equity awards under the Equity Plan and/or may be eligible to participate in the Employee Stock Purchase Plan and the Share Matching Plan. Holders of ADSs will experience additional dilution when those equity awards become vested and settled or exercised, as applicable, for Company securities. See Item 6.B “Directors, Senior Management and Employees—Executive Officer and Director Compensation.”
Nasdaq may not continue to list the Class A ADSs and Class C-1 ADSs, which could limit investors’ ability to make transactions in the Company’s securities and subject the Company to additional trading restrictions.
The Class A ADSs and Class C-1 ADSs are currently listed on Nasdaq. The Company announced on May 17, 2024 that it had received a notification letter from Nasdaq notifying that the Company was no longer in compliance with the Nasdaq Listing Rule 5250(c)(1) for continued listing due to its failure to timely file its annual report on Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2023 with the SEC. We believe that the filing of this Form 20-F will resolve this issue, but we are not currently eligible to use a registration statement on Form F-3 until approximately one year from the date we regain and maintain status as a current and timely filer.
There are several requirements that must be met in order for our ADSs to remain listed on the Nasdaq Global Market, including but not limited to, the minimum share price of at least U.S. $1.00 per ADS. There can be no assurance that the Company will be able to comply with the continued listing standards of Nasdaq.
If Nasdaq delists the Class A ADSs or Class C-1 ADSs from trading on its exchange for failure to meet the listing standards, holders of the Company’s securities could face significant material adverse consequences including:
•a limited availability of market quotations for the Company’s securities;
•reduced liquidity for the Company’s securities;
•a determination that the Class A ADSs are a “penny stock” which will require brokers trading in the Class A ADSs to adhere to more stringent rules and possibly result in a reduced level of trading activity in the secondary market for the Company’s securities; and
•a limited amount of news and analyst coverage.
Further consequences of any delisting of the Class A ADS or Class C-1 ADS would include a decreased ability for Polestar to issue additional securities or to obtain additional financing in the future. We cannot assure that our securities will continue to satisfy the Nasdaq minimum share price requirement or prevent future non-compliance with Nasdaq's listing requirements.
The requirements of being a public company may strain Polestar’s resources and distract its management, which could make it difficult to manage its business.
Polestar is required to comply with various regulatory and reporting requirements, including those required by UK companies laws and the SEC. Complying with these reporting and other regulatory requirements are time-consuming and will continue to result in increased costs to Polestar and could have a negative effect on Polestar’s results of operations, financial condition or business.
As a public company, Polestar is subject to the reporting requirements of the Exchange Act and the requirements of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, as well as the reporting requirements of the UK companies laws that related to quoted companies. These requirements may place a strain on Polestar’s systems and resources. The Exchange Act and UK companies laws require that Polestar file an annual report with respect to its business and financial condition. In addition, Polestar publishes certain results on a quarterly basis as press releases, distributed pursuant to the rules and regulations of Nasdaq. Press releases relating to certain financial results and material events will also be furnished to the SEC on Form 6-K. The Sarbanes-Oxley Act requires that Polestar implement and maintain effective disclosure controls and procedures and internal controls over financial reporting. To implement, maintain and improve the effectiveness of its disclosure controls and procedures, Polestar will need to commit and has committed significant resources, has hired and will continue to hire additional staff and has provided and will continue to provide additional management oversight. Polestar has implemented and will continue to implement additional procedures and processes for the purpose of addressing the standards and requirements applicable to public companies. Sustaining its growth also will require Polestar to commit additional management, operational and financial resources to identify new professionals to join it and to maintain appropriate operational and financial systems to adequately support expansion. These activities may divert management’s attention from other business concerns, which could have a material and adverse effect on Polestar’s results of operations, financial condition or business.
Polestar has identified material weaknesses in its internal control over financial reporting related to not maintaining an effective control environment and cannot assure you that there will not be material weaknesses or significant deficiencies in its internal controls in the future.
Polestar expects to incur additional expenses and devote increased management effort toward ensuring compliance with the applicable regulations. Polestar cannot predict or estimate the amount of additional costs Polestar may incur as a result of becoming a public company or the timing of such costs.
Polestar is a foreign private issuer within the meaning of the rules under the Exchange Act and, as such, it is exempt from certain provisions applicable to United States domestic public companies.
Because Polestar qualifies as a foreign private issuer under the Exchange Act, it is exempt from certain provisions of the securities rules and regulations in the United States that are applicable to U.S. domestic issuers, including: (i) the rules under the Exchange Act requiring the filing with the SEC of quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, quarterly certifications by the principal executive and financial officers or current reports on Form 8-K; (ii) the sections of the Exchange Act regulating the solicitation of proxies, consents or authorizations in respect of a security registered under the Exchange Act; (iii) the sections of the Exchange Act requiring insiders to file public reports of their stock ownership and trading activities and liability for insiders who profit from trades made in a short period of time; and (iv) the selective disclosure rules by issuers of material nonpublic information under Regulation FD.
Polestar is required to file an annual report on Form 20-F within four months of the end of each fiscal year. In addition, it intends to publish its results on a quarterly basis as press releases, distributed pursuant to the rules and regulations of Nasdaq. Press releases relating to financial results and material events will also be furnished to the SEC on Form 6-K. However, the information Polestar is
required to file with or furnish to the SEC is less extensive and less timely compared to that required to be filed with the SEC by U.S. domestic issuers. For example, U.S. domestic issuers are required to file annual reports within 60 to 90 days from the end of each fiscal year. As a result, there may be less publicly available information concerning Polestar’s business than there would be if Polestar were a U.S. public company, and you may not be afforded the same protections or information that would be made available to you were you investing in a U.S. domestic issuer.
As Polestar is a foreign private issuer and follows certain home country corporate governance practices, its shareholders may not have the same protections afforded to shareholders of companies that are subject to all of Nasdaq’s corporate governance requirements.
As a foreign private issuer, Polestar is subject to different U.S. securities laws than domestic U.S. issuers. As long as Polestar continues to qualify as a foreign private issuer under the Exchange Act, Polestar is exempt from certain provisions of the Exchange Act that are applicable to U.S. domestic public companies, including:
•the sections of the Exchange Act regulating the solicitation of proxies, consents or authorizations in respect of a security registered under the Exchange Act;
•the sections of the Exchange Act requiring insiders to file public reports of their stock ownership and trading activities and liability for insiders who profit from trades made in a short period of time; and
•the rules under the Exchange Act requiring the filing with the SEC of quarterly reports on Form 10-Q containing unaudited financial and other specified information, or current reports on Form 8-K, upon the occurrence of specified significant events.
In addition, Polestar is not required to file annual reports and financial statements with the SEC as promptly as U.S. domestic companies whose securities are registered under the Exchange Act, and is