Polestar reveals stunning new Formula 2030 concept car – and it's got buttons!
The Formula 2030 concept is a hint at what to expect from the new Polestar 2 and Polestar 7
Polestar has revealed a new concept car, called the Formula 2030, which debuts design details that will feature on the second-generation Polestar 2 and upcoming Polestar 7.
Described as a compact and low but practical electric sports car, the Formula 2030 blends a familiar Polestar face with a revised rear end and an all-new interior. Polestar says the front of the concept car debuts the face of the new 2, while the rear is expected to appear on the 7. The latter is a premium compact SUV to be produced in Europe likely from 2028.
But while the exterior of the Formula 2030 is impressive, it’s the interior that we’re most excited about. Most striking of all is the centre console and its selection of physical switchgear. These include customisable toggle switches and rotary dials that the driver can configure for different uses. Meanwhile, the drive mode selector can be slid up and down the centre console to switch between Performance, Normal and Autonomous.
It’s a strong but very welcome return to physical switchgear from Polestar, a company that always impresses with its aesthetic design but has drawn criticism for putting all key controls on the touchscreens of its current cars. Hopefully the tactile switchgear of the Formula 2030 will make it to future models, and at the very least those new cars will see less dependence on their touchscreens.
Other features of the cabin include a curved 20-inch driver display mounted to the steering column so it moves as the steering wheel position is adjusted (like that of the Polestar 5). This is joined by a 12.2-inch central infotainment screen.
Said to sit in its own vehicle segment, the Formula 2030 measures 4,680 mm long, 2,021 mm wide and 1,350 mm tall – the latter giving it a lower roofline than the already streamlined Polestar 5. Philipp Römers, head of design at Polestar, said: “Design should always reflect the values and mission of a brand and that is exactly what we did with Polestar Formula 2030 concept. It is a physical embodiment of how we apply Polestar’s core values of design, performance and sustainability to the next production cars.”
Polestar hasn’t said a car closely resembling the concept will become reality – like how the Precept from 2020 became the remarkably similar Polestar 5 in 2026. Instead, the Swedish company describes the concept as being positioned “somewhere between the forthcoming Polestar 2 and Polestar 7 dimensionally,” adding how it “takes inspiration from the recently launched Polestar 4 SUV for its hint towards low-slung practicality.”
Another design detail is how the car’s Lidar vision system – a key component of its driver-assistance system – disappears from view when the autonomous driving function isn’t in use. This is joined by what Polestar calls a “UFO-esque” rear end, which ushers in a new lighting signature that replaces the brand’s lightbar with a pair of “Single Blade” rear lights.
As ever with concepts, it’s unlikely that a car exactly like this will go into production. But it still gives a tantalising look at what we can expect from Polestar’s next two cars, with the interior a particular highlight. Here’s to hoping that lovely switchgear makes it to production.
