Polestar wants to create “truly climate-neutral” car by 2030 from start to end, the Swedish electric performance car brand announced in its first annual review published today.
According to Polestar, environmental experts have warned that carbon offsetting by planting trees 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.
“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.”
The company says it has already set to work, and climate targets are integrated in the Polestar employee bonus system.
Polestar also says it will publish ‘sustainability declarations’ to all future Polestar models, common in industries like food and fashion. Starting with Polestar 2 and initially disclosing carbon footprint and traced risk materials, labeling 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.”
