Tesla has had a tumultuous winter. With controversial CEO Elon Musk in the news daily, sales of the company’s electric vehicles (EVs) have slumped globally.
The AP reports, “Demonstrators gathered outside Tesla stores across the U.S. Saturday to protest the automaker’s billionaire CEO, Elon Musk, and his push to slash government spending on behalf of President Donald Trump. The demonstrations are part of a growing backlash in North America and Europe to Musk’s disruptive role in Washington.”
Rival EV builder Polestar is taking advantage of Tesla’s bad publicity. The company is offering a $5,000 discount to Tesla owners buying a new Polestar 3 SUV. Added to other incentives, the deal can cut the Polestar 3’s $74,800 starting price by up to $20,000.
Jordan Hofmann, Polestar’s U.S. head of sales, took to LinkedIn this weekend to say the incentive is working. Hofmann wrote, “This week saw some of the highest order days for Polestar 3, and the response to our Tesla Conquest Offer has been incredible,” but offered no specific numbers.
The news doesn’t necessarily mean there are fewer Teslas on the road. Polestar will offer the discount to Tesla owners even if they don’t trade in their existing car.
The Polestar 3 is a sleek, stylish midsize SUV that seats five. It offers up to 350 miles of range and 517 horsepower (though you can’t get those two figures in the same trim level). Our test drivers like its power (and even think Polestar may be understating its acceleration figures) and contemporary styling, but they find rearward visibility a bit limited.