When the Martens family exited the local car business nearly a decade ago, the last franchise physically situated within the District of Columbia exited with them. With DARCARS bringing a new Polestar retail outlet back into DC last month, that’s now all changed.
DC Mayor Muriel Bowser, who was present at the store’s grand opening last month, called the franchise an essential step in the District’s “comeback program,” as it addresses a post-pandemic lack of investment in downtown and a decline in worker population. The mayor said that she is “taking advantage of every cent from federal dollars” to invest in electric car infrastructure in the coming years.
The Volvo-owned electric car brand launched the 2,900-square-foot showroom at 1050 17th St. NW by detaching a bright yellow seatbelt, then unveiling the Polestar 3, a battery-powered SUV with an estimated 500-plus of horsepower expected to hit stores in early 2024. DARCARS COO and WANADA Vice Chairman Jamie Darvish called the brand a blend of “performance and luxury with a twist of Swedish craftmanship,” and noted that the District is one of the top six cities in the nation for EV registrations.
Polestar’s launch of a new showroom in Washington, DC, indicates a significant step forward in the brand’s network expansion plans. By establishing this new retail location, Polestar aims to make electric performance vehicles more accessible to the public and promote the switch to electric transport in North America.
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