Polestar negotiated the first deal to sell the ‘1’ hybrid in exchange for works of art. The program was launched last year, more than 500 applications were received from collectors and artists, but it was only in the spring of 2022 that it was possible to choose the right one and agree on all the conditions. The buyer was a street art collector from Sweden, and now the owner of a new Polestar 1 in matte gray.

Last summer, the Swedish brand Polestar (part of the Geely Group) came up with an unusual initiative. She proposed a new scheme for buying a Polestar 1 hybrid, essentially a barter exchange, where a car was one commodity, and any work of art was another. It was assumed that each application will be considered by the well-known art consultant Theodore Dalenson, and the auction houses Sotheby’s and Philips will be involved in the preliminary evaluation.

According to Polestar management, they have received over 500 inquiries from collectors and artists. They were offered paintings, sculptures, photographs, installations and much more. The first agreement took place in March of this year, and a collector of street art from Sweden became its participant. Details are of course not released, but an unnamed buyer is known to have traded the artwork for a Polestar 1 in Osmium Grey.

“I traded street art for street art,” the new owner of the hybrid shares his impressions. — You know, it’s a special feeling when you have something that is released in limited quantities. But even so, I will definitely drive a car. If I considered it as a collector’s item, then, of course, it would be more practical to return to works of art – they are easier to store.

The Polestar 1 hybrid is built on the SPA platform shared with larger Volvo models. Under the hood is a 2.0 turbo four with a turbocharger and a supercharger that develops 308 horsepower. It spins the front wheels, while the rear wheels drive two electric motors powered by a 34 kilowatt-hour battery. The total return of the installation is 609 forces and 1000 Nm. The first “hundred” of a two-door exchanges in 4.2 seconds, and without starting the internal combustion engine it travels up to 124 kilometers in the WLTP cycle.

The hybrid coupe produced less than 1,500 pieces. The price of each copy is 155 thousand euros.