EVs deployed at long-distance cycling race

Polestar 4 serves as team car, Polestar 3 guides peloton

2,500 paper-carton water bottles also provided

A Polestar 3 leads the peloton at the 2026 Tongyeong Gran Fondo, held Saturday in Tongyeong, South Gyeongsang Province. [Polestar]
A Polestar 3 leads the peloton at the 2026 Tongyeong Gran Fondo, held Saturday in Tongyeong, South Gyeongsang Province. [Polestar]

Swedish premium electric vehicle brand Polestar announced Monday that it served as the main sponsor of the 2026 Tongyeong Gran Fondo, held Saturday in Tongyeong, South Gyeongsang Province.

Polestar has backed the cycling event for the second consecutive year, supporting what it describes as a sustainable sports culture. The Tongyeong Gran Fondo is a long-distance cycling race in which more than 2,000 riders tackle coastal roads along the Hallyeohaesudo waterway and mountain sections around Tongyeong.

The company said it sees competitive cycling — with its emphasis on peak performance — as aligned with its own values of performance and sustainability, and that deploying zero-emission electric vehicles as official cars was intended to promote those values at the event.

Polestar Korea had previously provided official vehicles for the Tour de Gyeongnam 2025 before returning as main sponsor for this year's Tongyeong Gran Fondo.

The company supplied 13 fully electric vehicles — Polestar 3s and Polestar 4s — as official cars for the race. The Polestar 4 served as a team car, supporting riders with its spacious interior and foldable rear seats to carry equipment, while a roof-mounted bicycle carrier transported spare bikes. With up to 544 horsepower, it supported race operations across varied terrain including coastal roads and mountain sections.

The Polestar 3 was positioned at the front and rear of the peloton to guide riders throughout the course, with its dual-chamber air suspension providing stable handling across different road surfaces. A Polestar 3 was also displayed separately at the venue, giving participants and spectators a chance to experience the luxury electric vehicle firsthand, including its 800-volt platform.

Polestar also distributed 2,500 paper-carton water bottles — produced in collaboration with Tetra Pak Korea — to participants. The company said the initiative aimed both at keeping riders hydrated on the long course and at demonstrating its commitment to sustainability through environmentally conscious packaging.

"It is meaningful to have conveyed the values of performance and sustainability together by providing electric vehicles as official cars at this event," said Ham Jong-seong, chief executive of Polestar Korea. "We will continue our efforts toward sustainability through various activities and strengthen our identity as a pure electric vehicle brand."

Meanwhile, Polestar sold 769 vehicles in South Korea in September, its best monthly sales figure since entering the domestic market, according to data from the Korea Automobile Importers & Distributors Association (KAIDA). Cumulative registrations from January through September reached 3,719 units, surpassing the 2,957 units registered for all of last year. Polestar Korea set a target of 4,000 annual sales at the start of this year and has been expanding its presence in the premium electric vehicle market, led by the Polestar 4.


eyre@heraldcorp.com