Polestar, the electric performance car brand jointly owned by Volvo and Zhejiang Geely Holding, has opened its first production facility in the southwestern Chinese city of Chengdu. It will produce vehicles for both China and global export markets with the first customer deliveries expected before the end of the year. In an interview with CGTN, Thomas Ingenlath, the Chief Executive Officer of Polestar, says the new production center sets a new industry benchmark in electric vehicle manufacturing.

MENG QINGSHENG CHENGDU "Mr. Ingenlath. Thank you for joining us today. To begin, how will Polestar, a premium-priced performance vehicle brand perform in an increasingly competitive EV market?"

THOMAS INGENLATH CEO OF POLESTAR "Well, obviously, the automotive industry and competing in the optimist motive industry, nowadays it's not a piece of cake. Of course, it's a tough business. And we are prepared for this. We have a unique offer. We present today not only this beautiful factory, but of course what it produces Polestar 1. And I think the uniqueness of it, what the proposition of it is, of course, will make the success. And that is the whole idea about the brand poster to add something to the industry and to add something to the electric automotive industry that does not exist yet."

MENG QINGSHENG CHENGDU "What does this new factory in Chengdu mean for ramping up capacity?"

THOMAS INGENLATH CEO OF POLESTAR "The Chengdu factory means the brand Polestar becoming an OEM and producer of automobile vehicle. We are not just a brand a label that you put on something that somebody else produces. We have the license to produce cars. We have laid the foundation with this factory. And of course it's a proof point, the capability of us as a brand to build a production, to ramp up production is it's being proven with this factory. So, very important step in the history of our company."

MENG QINGSHENG CHENGDU "How is Polestar planning to minimize fallout from the China-U.S. trade war?"

THOMAS INGENLATH CEO OF POLESTAR "We have to find our markets in the world, in Europe, in China, in U.S., we go to Canada. And of course, in the first steps, we will go everywhere. And we will see where the resonance of feedback is. We have strong interest from America. So America is an important market for us. We see that in the interest we got for the Polestar 1. We see the feedback on a Polestar 2. We definitely want the U.S. to be part of our story."

MENG QINGSHENG CHENGDU "You said earlier that technology is already so much better than any human. So to what extent will technology shape the future of the EV market in general?"

THOMAS INGENLATH CEO OF POLESTAR "The way that what you're used to everywhere else in your digital life to very easily interact with some modern services, with the modern information to bring this piece of comfort into the car. And that is definitely where the android system that we have on our car makes open the gate really wide for you to bring your preferences, the applications that you like, and use them in the car. Just you would as you would do at home. Sometimes when we portray the company as a EV brand, I'm really keen on making sure that people understand the recipe to make a successful modern attractive product has to be much broader and richer than just concentrating on the electric drive."

MENG QINGSHENG "Thank you for your time."

THOMAS INGENLATH CEO OF POLESTAR "Pleasure."