Swedish electric carmaker, Polestar, has appointed Martin Gurney to head up its European Fleet and Business section, specifically looking after the UK and Benelux regions. Gurney has taken up the Polestar position after spending over two decades with PSA Group (now Stellantis), which owns Peugeot, Citroën, DS, Opel and Vauxhall brands. With previous roles across sales, training and retail, Gurney also spent the last five years as Director of Fleet and Used Vehicles in the UK with the group.
As Polestar UK enters its eighth month delivering the zero-emissions Polestar 2 to a growing list of customers, interest from fleet and company car users continues to grow at pace. The Swedish electric performance brand is raising its presence in the fleet sector, and Gurney is charged with developing those sales within some of the fiercest and most competitively fought European markets.
Mike Whittington, Polestar’s global head of sales, said: “During 2020 we focused on establishing our Fleet and Business infrastructure and launching Polestar 2. With a significant level of demand and momentum building, during 2021 we will focus even more intensely and demonstrate the importance of fleet sales to Polestar.
“I am delighted that Martin is joining us to strengthen the team, which will expand even further across Europe. With his considerable experience we will continue to build our fleet presence during the coming years.”
The pure electric Polestar 2, which has a range of up to 292 miles (470km) is available from £49,900 (before the UK government grant) and attracts a benefit-in-kind (BIK) rate of zero percent (2020/21 tax year) and just one percent BIK for 2021/22.
Financially attractive to both end-user and fleet managers thanks to incredibly low whole life costs, the Polestar 2 also benefits from striking design and as the first car in the world launched with an Android Automotive OS-powered infotainment system, boasts class-leading tech for business and leisure use.
Martin Gurney, head of Polestar European Fleet and Business, said: “Polestar is a brand I’ve been watching closely and when the opportunity arose to join I just had to grasp it. It’s clear the automotive future is electric so I couldn’t think of a better place to be. The opportunity is huge”.
