Swedish electric performance car OEM Polestar has announced its ‘moonshot’ goal to create the first truly climate neutral car by 2030, in its first annual review, published on 7 April 2021.
Environmental experts have warned that offsetting is not sustainable in the long run. Questions around the long-term carbon-storage capacity of forests and soils remain, as a forest might be logged, devastated by fire or altered by climate change. The Polestar 0 project will drive ‘design towards zero’ focus by eliminating emissions rather than offsetting by planting trees
“Offsetting is a cop-out,” says Thomas Ingenlath, Polestar CEO. “By pushing ourselves to create a completely climate-neutral car, we are forced to reach beyond what is possible today. We will have to question everything, innovate and look to exponential technologies as we design towards zero.”
Polestar’s head of sustainability, Fredrika Klarén, says: “We’re electric, so we don’t have to worry about combustion engines producing toxic emissions – but that doesn’t mean our job is done. We will now work to eradicate all emissions stemming from production. Now is a historic and exciting time for car makers, an opportunity to seize the moment, do better and dare to build the dream of climate-neutral, circular and beautiful cars.”
Climate action is already being incorporated throughout the Polestar business, and climate targets are integrated in the Polestar employee bonus system.
Sustainability declarations, common in industries like food and fashion, will be applied to all future Polestar models. Starting with Polestar 2 and initially disclosing carbon footprint and traced risk materials, labelling will appear on the company website and in Polestar Spaces, setting a unique transparency precedent for the industry. Reflecting continuous sustainability updates, additional details and information will be added over time.
Thomas Ingenlath adds: “Consumers are a huge driving force in the shift to a sustainable economy. They need to be given the right tools to make informed and ethical decisions. This makes things very clear. Today, Polestar 2 leaves the factory gates with a carbon footprint. In 2030 we want to present a car that does not.”