Polestar has confirmed plans to put its O2 electric roadster concept from earlier this year into production. The confirmation coming at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance and The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering, events during Monterey Car Week earlier in August. The production car is expected to launch in 2026 as the Polestar 6.

“With the overwhelming consumer and press response, we took the decision to put this stunning roadster into production, and I am so excited to make it a reality,” said Thomas Ingenlath, Polestar CEO. “Polestar 6 is a perfect combination of powerful electric performance and the thrill of fresh air with the top down.”

Revealed in Los Angeles in March as the Polestar O2, the electric roadster concept builds on the design, technology, and sustainability ambitions laid out by the brand-defining Polestar Precept concept of 2020 and showcases the brand’s vision for future sports cars.

The hard-top convertible will be built on Polestar’s bonded-aluminum platform to be used first for Polestar 5. The roadster will also feature the high-performance, 800-V electrical architecture confirmed for Polestar 5. This includes a total vehicle output of up to 650 kW and 900 N·m (664 lb·ft) from a dual-motor powertrain, a targeted 0-100 km/h (0-62 mph) sprint in 3.2 s, and a top speed of 250 km/h (155 mph).

To celebrate the electric roadster’s launch, 500 numbered units of a special Polestar 6 LA Concept edition are planned to be produced. They will feature the unique Sky blue exterior, light leather interior, and unique 21-in wheels of the original Polestar O2 concept.

However, not expected to make the transition from the O2 concept to P6 production—but a very interesting customer-experience feature—is the autonomous cinematic drone integrated behind the concept’s rear seats. Developed in collaboration with Aerofugia’s consumer electronics brand Hoco Flow, the concept drone can be deployed while the car is moving to record the driving experience from above.

Polestar engineers developed a specialized aerofoil that raises behind the rear seats to create a calm area of negative pressure that allows the drone to take off when the car is moving. The drone automatically follows the car at speeds up to 56 mph (90 km/h), and the driver can choose between an atmospheric (for a coastline cruise) or a more action-filled sequence. After filming, the drone autonomously returns to the car, where video clips can be edited and shared directly from the 15-in center display when the car is parked.

“We wanted to emphasize the experience you can have with a car like the Polestar O2 in new and unusual ways,” said Maximilian Missoni, Polestar’s Head of Design. “Integrating an autonomous cinematic drone was something that allowed us to push the boundaries on the innovation front. Not needing to stop and off-load the drone before filming, but rather deploying it at speed, is a key benefit to this innovative design.”

While clearly related in design to the Precept concept that is being productized as the four-door Polestar 5, the O2 is said to show an evolving design language adapted to the two-door body style. The low and wide body has a wide stance, compact 2+2 cabin design, minimal overhangs, and a long wheelbase. Aerodynamic details to maximize range include disguised design features like integrated ducts that improve laminar airflow over the wheels and body sides and rear lights that function as air blades to reduce turbulence behind the car.

When the O2 was revealed earlier this year, Polestar promised a sporting driving experience thanks to the tight body control, high rigidity, and intuitive dynamics enabled by the bonded aluminum platform adapted from the Polestar 5 and developed in-house by Polestar’s R&D team in the UK.

However, it said that the technology has previously proven labor-intensive and difficult to use in mass production vehicles without sacrificing quality. To overcome this challenge, Polestar is developing a new and faster manufacturing process that develops both body and platform in unison using a team of former Formula 1, low-volume, and sports car engineers working in the heart of the UK’s Motorsport Valley in the Midlands.

As a result of the new materials and techniques involved, the Polestar 5’s body-in-white is expected to weigh less than that of cars in smaller segments, contributing to improved vehicle efficiency, real-world EV range, and dynamic responsiveness—while delivering leading safety levels. The new bonded aluminum platform will also help drive faster product introduction, high quality, and platform rigidity.

“Our UK R&D team is one of Polestar’s greatest assets,” said Ingenlath. “Their mix of engineering and technological expertise enables us to develop advanced, lightweight sports car technology with a creative mindset and a spirit that embraces innovative engineering. This will set Polestar apart in the years to come.”

By further developing this technology for Polestar’s first in-house platform, the Polestar 5 is being designed with torsional rigidity superior to that of a traditional two-seat sports- or supercar. The decision to develop a dedicated platform has also enabled the brand to deliver a production model that remains true to the Precept concept car that inspired it.

“We knew we wanted this car to be light-weight, we knew we wanted high quality, and we knew we wanted it quickly,” said Pete Allen, Head of Polestar UK R&D. “This architecture delivers outstanding dynamic and safety attributes, with low investment technology applicable to high production volumes.”

Polestar sustainability teams believe that materials should be recycled, not downcycled. Further elaborating on the platform for the O2, they integrated a new method of controlling recycled content and improving the circularity of metal components. The different grades of aluminum used throughout the chassis are labeled, allowing them to be recycled more effectively and for their properties to be retained. High-grade aluminum remains high grade, while other grades maintain their characteristics, allowing for greater material efficiency and a lower requirement for virgin aluminum.

The O2 also showcased a new thermoplastic “mono-material”—described as the use of one base material to manufacture different components—featured extensively in the interior. In the concept, recycled polyester is the sole material used for all the soft components of the interior such as the foam, adhesive, 3D knit fibers, and non-woven lamination. This simplifies recycling and is a significant step towards greater circularity, while also reducing weight and waste.