Polestar UK plans to get up to 30,000 car buyers behind the wheel of its Polestar 2 performance electric vehicle (EV) with the help of a new ‘test drive hub’ in Milton Keynes.

The 8,000sq-ft facility will be operational for the next six months and joins other pop-up locations and test drive events across the UK to reach customers who may not be located near to Endeavour Automotive’s Polestar Space at Westfield, London, or Looker’s franchised site at the Trafford Centre, Manchester.

Polestar believes it can facilitate 7,000 test drives at the MK site this year and the brand’s UK chief executive, Jonathan Goodman, recently told AM that he has hopes of completing 28,000 to 30,000 test drives before the end of the year.

“People want to touch and feel the cars and these events allow us to reach a lot of people,” he said.

“The test drives have been booked-up straight away.”

Polestar’s 2021 test drive events calendar got underway last month with events in Cambridge and Exeter.

This week the brand is hosting test drives from Lookers Leasing’s Harrogate headquarters.

Eight vehicles are made available to customers to enjoy on unaccompanied test drives booked online prior to their attendance.

Goodman said “We saw such huge demand in 2020 for test drives, it was clear we needed to deliver more opportunity for consumers to experience our fully-electric Polestar 2 first-hand.

“But it had to be done in a high-quality way befitting the Polestar brand and be easy to book and access, and so Milton Keynes was an obvious choice.

“Excellent transport links, great test drive routes and a reputation as the foremost technological centre of the UK ensure it’s the perfect location for us.”

Following the launch of two new derivatives of Polestar 2 – it was previously only available in twin-motor long range form – the EV crossover is now available to buy online from £39,900.

Last month Goodman told AM that the brand will soon expand its Polestar Space network, with locations in Birmingham and Glasgow set to open by the end of the year and “many more” to be added in 2022/23.

Polestar Spaces are established and staffed by franchised retail partners as a zero-pressure, commission-free brand showcase environment.

Dealers operate on an agency model contract, earning a fee for car sales delivered within their facility’s region.

Polestar Precept pictures