Polestar Wants Answers After Being Banned In The US The automaker expected approval to keep selling cars here. Then Volvo got a pass under the same Chinese ownership. Starting in 2027, Polestar will be banned from selling new cars in the US because of its ties to China. The automaker doesn't plan to appeal the decision, but that doesn't mean it's happy about it. Polestar still wants to know why it was denied permission to sell cars here when Volvo, which has the same Chinese parent company, got the green light. According to documents obtained by the Wall Street Journal, Polestar actually expected to receive approval to continue selling vehicles in the US. The company says it was caught off guard by the decision after spending more than a year working with the US Department of Commerce. Polestar first submitted an application to the Commerce Department's Bureau of Industry and Security in May 2025, seeking permission to continue selling connected vehicles in the US. The application was reviewed for more than a year, during which Polestar answered detailed questions from federal officials. Polestar 5 The automaker also offered several measures to address the government's security concerns, including cybersecurity reviews, audits, and changes designed to prevent China-linked entities from managing vehicle data. According to Polestar, officials told the company's outside counsel in January 2026 that they had received enough information and were preparing to recommend approval. Then, in April, a Commerce Department official reportedly told Polestar that approval would be reasonable to expect if Volvo received authorization under the same ownership structure and with similar hardware and software. Volvo received its approval in May, while Polestar’s application was denied the following month. Polestar says the different outcomes could amount to "disparate treatment." Polestar 3 It's Not Just About Where the Cars