Polestar North America boss Anders Gustafsson quits, hinting at new auto retail gig
'Instead of selling cars, I will now be buying and selling around 1 million cars every year — a completely new and exciting challenge,' Anders Gustafsson said, hinting at his upcoming new job.
Less than a year after taking the wheel at Polestar North America, Anders Gustafsson is leaving the electric car maker May 11.
Rick Bryant, Polestar North America's operations chief and a Volvo Cars veteran, will take the top job overseeing the U.S. and Canada markets.
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Bryant has more than three decades of automotive industry experience, including stints at BMW, Buick and Honda. He has held leadership roles in sales and operations, including nearly a decade as executive vice president of sales operations for Volvo Car USA.
Smooth operator
In a memo to retailers announcing his resignation that was reviewed by Automotive News, Gustafsson said of Bryant: 'From the moment I joined Polestar, it was clear we had the right person already in place.'
Matthew Haiken, CEO of the Polestar Short Hills dealership in New Jersey, said Bryant has 'helped run the show' for the past year.
'Rick is the day-to-day operator, the sales guy, the dealer guy,' Haiken told Automotive News.
Volvo dealer Ernie Norcross said Bryant knows how to balance the interests of retailers and the manufacturer.
'Rick always looks for a win-win, rather than a win-lose, because he understands that if dealers lose, the factory doesn't win,' said Norcross, owner of Volvo Cars Memphis in Tennessee. 'His leadership and skills were sorely missed when he left Volvo.'
Rick Bryant has held leadership roles in sales and operations, including nearly a decade as executive vice president of sales operations for Volvo Car USA.
Driving into headwinds
Bryant's operational chops will be tested as Polestar navigates geopolitics and slowing electric vehicle sales growth in the U.S.
The Trump administration has slapped tariffs of 145 percent on Chinese auto imports and 25 percent on cars from other countries.
That poses an existential crisis for the young Polestar brand with only two nameplates — one of which is a sedan made in China — and plans to launch a Korean-made, coupelike crossover in the fourth quarter.
Polestar CEO Michael Lohscheller warned of a blow from American import duties as the Swedish carmaker looks to shift manufacturing to the U.S. and Europe to reduce reliance on China. Because of geopolitical uncertainty, Polestar paused its 2025 forecast.
Polestar gained market momentum in the U.S. last year after debuting its second model, the Polestar 3 midsize crossover.
According to Automotive News Research & Data Center estimates, Polestar's first-quarter deliveries surged 50 percent from a year ago to 1,650, powered by an aggressive offer to conquest Tesla customers.
The U.S.-built Polestar 3 accounted for 91 percent of Polestar's first-quarter deliveries, while Polestar 2 sales plunged 86 percent.
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