Polestar is taking another major step toward sustainable electrification, announcing that batteries used in the Polestar 2 and Polestar 3 now contain at least 50% recycled cobalt. The milestone underscores the brand’s growing commitment to battery circularity and reducing dependence on newly mined raw materials.
Polestar’s strategy goes beyond simply sourcing recycled materials. The company is building a fully circular battery ecosystem designed to extend battery life, maximize resource efficiency, and minimize environmental impact.
A key part of this effort happens during the ownership phase. By focusing on battery longevity and maintaining performance over time, Polestar aims to deliver both environmental and customer benefits.
Refurbished Batteries: Extending Lifecycle and Value
In partnership with Volvo Cars battery centers, Polestar refurbishes high-voltage battery packs for reuse. When a battery replacement is needed, customers receive a refurbished unit with an equivalent state-of-health.
This closed-loop system helps extend battery lifespan, reduce waste and raw material demand and maintain strong residual values for EV owners.
Expanding Global Recycling Partnerships
Polestar is also scaling recycling partnerships across all its markets. These collaborations ensure compliance with producer responsibility regulations while improving material recovery rates and extending battery lifecycles.
The goal is clear: keep valuable materials like cobalt, lithium, and nickel in use for as long as possible.
Sustainable Materials Across the Lineup
Battery innovation is just one piece of Polestar’s broader sustainability push. The company is integrating lower-impact materials throughout its vehicles, including:
– Recycled aluminium and steel
– Carpets made from ECONYL polyamide
– Yarn derived from PET waste
Combined with modular design and reduced material complexity, these efforts support easier recycling and more efficient production.
Transparency and Measurable Progress
Since 2020, Polestar has positioned itself as a leader in climate transparency. It publishes full Life Cycle Assessments (LCAs) for every model and tracks CO₂ emissions across its entire value chain.
Notably, the Polestar 2 became the first car to feature blockchain-traced cobalt, setting a new standard for supply chain accountability.
The results speak for themselves:
– 25% reduction in relative CO₂ emissions per vehicle since 2020
– Introduction of smart charging integration
– Expansion to four new models
