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Volvo Polestar logo history, symbol, meaning and its electric future
How much do you know about Polestar logo history? If, like many automotive fans, you’re excited about the evolution of the electric car market, then you may be familiar with the Volvo Polestar logo, and the company behind it already.
While the Polestar brand hasn’t always been associated with electric vehicles, or the Volvo cars company, it has earned a reputation as an innovator in the automotive industry.
With experience in creating high-performance cars, and even upgrading Volvo touring cars, the Swedish car manufacturer has earned the attention of a huge audience over the years.
Like many companies, much of Polestar’s success comes from its approach to building an engaging, memorable brand. Everything from the Polestar logo to the color palette used by the brand helps to differentiate it from the competitors in its field.
Today, we’re taking a closer look at the Volvo Polestar logo, its history, and the continued evolution of the Polestar brand.
The Polestar car brand: When was Polestar founded?
Before we look at Polestar logo history, let’s start with a deep dive into the origins of the Polestar brand. The history of Polestar itself is quite interesting. The brand is a Swedish automotive company, originally established as “Flash Engineering” in 1996.
Flash Engineering was a Swedish racing team, competing in the Swedish Touring Car Championship, or STCC, during the early 90s. The team was sold and rebranded as “Polestar Racing”, and the group began modifying Volvos for the race track in the late 2000s.
Eventually, Polestar’s work on Volvo’s vehicles captured the attention of the larger company, who agreed to purchase the business in 2015. Since then, Volvo has been selling Polestar-enhanced models through their resellers. At the same time, Polestar began making its own prototype cars.
The first was the C30 Polestar Performance Concept, in 2010, followed by the Volve S60 Polestar Concept. Today, the car manufacturer still has a headquarters in Torslanda, near Gothenburg in Sweden, but vehicles are produced in China, by Volva’s parent company, Geely.
Looking to the future: The Polestar brand and electric cars
The Polestar brand earned its fame and reputation in the automotive industry for creating high-performance cars, specifically for the racetrack. However, in 2017, Volvo and Geely announced Polestar would become a standalone electric performance car brand.
In the years following, Polestar has created two electric cars, the Polestar 1, a luxury coupe inspired by the Volvo 2013 Concept Coupe, and the Polestar 2.
The Polestar 2 was initially unveiled in 2019, and the brand has announced the vehicle will receive a mid-life refresh in 2024, switching to a new rear-wheel drive layout for the single-motor option. The company is also introducing a new front-facing camera, and a few cosmetic changes to the model.
In the last couple of years, insights into Polestar’s future in the electric vehicle landscape have continued to emerge. The Polestar 3 was introduced in 2022, followed by the Polestar O2 concept car the same year. Additional models, such as the Polestar 5, and 6, are set to emerge in the years ahead.
Polestar logo history: The powerful Polestar symbol
Though the origins of the Polestar brand date back to the early 90s, the company hasn’t made many changes to its brandmark over the years. In fact, most of the company’s brand image has remained consistent, from the color palette to the use of the “four-pointed star” design.
Here’s a quick overview of Polestar logo history (so far).
1996
The original Polestar logo, introduced in 1996, featured a blue square background, with a slim silver outline. The name of the Swedish manufacturer appeared at the bottom of the badge, in a delicate sans-serif font, with each letter in lowercase.
Just above the “r” in the word “Polestar”, we see the element at the core of Polestar branding, the four-pointed star. This version of the star was a little different to the one we know today, with a rounded component in the center, and slim points.
2017
In 2017, after the rapid adoption of electric vehicles prompted Volvo and Geely to transform Polestar into an electric car brand, a new logo was introduced. The Polestar name disappeared from the official emblem, while the four-pointed star was updated and refined.
The new Polestar symbol made the star seem more geometric, crafting the image out of two mirrored “arrow” shapes, pointing towards each other. This conveyed a sense of connectivity and modernity, giving the brand a new image and identity to work with.
The updated Volvo Polestar logo was set in black and white, and made the business appear progressive, edgy, and professional.
2020
The new Polestar logo, introduced in 2020, builds on the previous design. Like the old Polestar logo from 2017, there’s no inscription on this emblem. The core focus of the logo is the four-pointed star, which is now depicted in gradient silver, to give it a three-dimensional effect.
Numerous versions of this Polestar emblem appear throughout the company’s marketing and branding assets. Some feature the design on a white or transparent background, while others place the symbol on a dark blue background, symbolizing professionalism, and trust.
Polestar logo meaning: What does the Polestar emblem mean?
The Volvo Polestar logo might seem simple, but according to the brand, it holds significant meaning. When the Polestar brand officially joined Volvo, the company leaders believed it was their mission to act as the “guiding star” for the larger company.
This makes sense, when you consider Polestar’s commitment to innovation over the years, creating unique carbon fiber vehicle bodies, electric motors, and sports cars.
According to the Polestar company, the “North Star” is the inspiration behind their own four-pointed star image. Just as this star has guided travelers throughout the Northern Hemisphere for centuries, they believe their own star will help to position them as a “pioneer” for the Volvo brand.
The star image also connects with the Swedish name for the North Star, Polaris, which also means “Pole Star” – the inspiration for the company’s moniker.
The Volvo Polestar logo: Fonts and colors
Minimalistic and modern, the Volvo Polestar logo is the perfect mark for a company with a focus on the future. With this sophisticated and evocative design, the electric performance brand positions itself as an innovator, and forward-thinking vehicle manufacturer.
Everything from the sleek design of the star symbol itself, to the evocative color palette helps Polestar to earn the trust of its target audience. As the Volvo division of Polestar continues to grow, the company’s logo acts as a shining symbol of the brand’s unique personality.
You can take a closer look at the elements of the Volvo Polestar logo here:
What is the Polestar logo font?
Today, the official Polestar logo doesn’t include an inscription, or any font at all. Originally, the company used a simple, minimalistic typeface with lowercase letters and rounded corners. Now, Polestar relies on its eye-catching symbol to convey its identity alone.
Notably, however, the original Polestar logo, and the sans-serif Polestar font can still be seen on some of the first car models produced by the company.
What is the Polestar color palette?
The Polestar color palette has included elements of blue, silver, white, and black over the years. Today, the company uses a couple of different versions of its logo in its branding. The official Polestar badge, which appears on the cars themselves, is depicted in chrome or silver.
The Polestar colors used on the company’s website, and other marketing assets, combine a gradient silver star, with a dark blue background. The deep blue shade symbolizes strength, reliability, trust, and professionalism in color psychology.
An electrifying symbol: The Polestar car logo
Looking back through Polestar logo history, we can see how the creator of electric performance cars shaped its identity, and found its unique personality as part of Volvo, and the Geely family.
The Volvo Polestar logo today might be simple, but it’s also an extremely powerful symbol. It conveys meaning without the need for any typography, drawing attention to Polestar’s position as the “guiding star” in Volvo’s journey towards an eco-friendly future.
The minimalistic design also positions the company as an innovative, modern brand, with a mission to transform the world, and the way we travel.
The Polestar logo proves your emblem doesn’t have to be complex to be impactful.
Fabrik: A branding agency for our times.
As Fabrik’s creative director, Stephen oversees complex branding programmes. He advises our clients on their tone of voice, creates logos and visual identities and crafts names for companies, products and services. Writing for Brand Fabrik Stephen reflects his love for logo design and visual identity.
