Polestar, an electric performance vehicle manufacturer, has set perhaps the most ambitious sustainability goal in the automotive market – to eliminate all emissions from their vehicles by 2030 without using carbon offsets. This report evaluates the feasibility of that vision and what it might take to achieve.
An Introduction to Polestar
You may not have heard much about Polestar yet unless you follow emerging electric vehicle (EV) brands closely. Let‘s fix that, because this Swedish company has bold plans that aim to lead a revolution toward sustainable mobility.
Origins
Polestar originated in the late 1990s as the racing division for Volvo. After gaining fame on the motorsports circuit, parent company Volvo acquired full control in 2015 and shifted Polestar‘s focus to designing and manufacturing high-performance electric cars.
Current Lineup
The niche automaker debuted its first volume production EV just last year with the launch of the Polestar 2 sporty sedan, targeting the Tesla Model 3. An electric SUV named the Polestar 3 launches in 2022, with plans for a smaller follow-on SUV model as well.
Growth Trajectory
From essentially 3 vehicles today including the plug-in hybrid Polestar 1 launched in 2019, Polestar is rapidly scaling production capacity targeting nearly 300,000 units per year by 2025. Strong initial demand for Polestar 2 in Europe and China and new model launches will drive volume growth.
| Year | Production Volume Target |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 29,000 |
| 2022 | ~75,000 |
| 2025 | ~290,000 |
Impressive growth plans indeed! But Polestar doesn‘t intend to chase the mainstream – instead differentiating their brand on a dedication to sustainability unmatched in the auto industry. Now let‘s explore what exactly they have committed to.
Project Polestar 0 – Targeting a 100% Climate Neutral Car
In 2021 alongside releasing interim environmental targets for this decade, Polestar unveiled an initiative dubbed Project Polestar 0 that sets out how the company will reach net-zero emissions across their vehicle lifecycle by 2030. This far exceeds the timeframe other automakers have committed to for carbon neutrality.
The name ties to an ambition to create what Polestar dubs a "climate neutral" car by eliminating all greenhouse gas emissions associated with manufacturing and operating their vehicles, without relying on carbon offsets to counterbalance emissions.
As you can imagine, this requires massive innovation in how cars are built to decarbonize everything from materials extraction to final assembly. Let‘s break down what Polestar pledges Project 0 will address and how they‘ll reach the end goal:
Emissions Scope
- Raw material sourcing + production
- Transportation of materials/vehicle parts
- Manufacturing facilities operation
- Vehicle assembly
- Driving operation tailpipe emissions (already 0 in EVs!)
- End-of-life recycling processes
Plan to Eliminate Emissions
Polestar cannot tackle such an immense scope alone. After all, they are essentially a start-up still ramping up production capacity. The key to Project 0 is therefore revolutionary partnerships with suppliers across the value chain to develop zero-emission solutions.
Initial partners include steel manufacturer SSAB to explore fossil-free metals, ZF for clean powertrain components, and seatbelt/airbag supplier Autoliv to use recycled plastics and bio-based textiles. The scope encompasses innovating with sustainability leaders on everything from aluminum alloy sheet metal to wiring harnesses to machined suspension pieces.
By targeting decarbonization across the entire bill of materials, Polestar believes complete climate neutrality in vehicle production has potential by 2030.
But will reality align with ambitions within this timeline? Let‘s analyze feasibility next.
Evaluating the Viability of Reaching 2030 Goals
Transforming automotive supply infrastructure globally to eliminate emissions within 8 years represents an immense challenge even with strong coalition momentum. In some areas like steel production critical for vehicle structures and battery manufacturing, passivists project meaningful change will take far longer.
Steel Production Outlook
The demand for raw materials like steel is increasing to support EV growth industrywide. Yet over 70% of all steel manufactured still relies on carbon-intensive coal-based production processes that cannot readily abate emissions.
Most optimistic forecasts see fossil-free steel hitting just ~10% global market share by 2030 on an accelerated adoption path.
For Polestar alone to source enough zero-emission steel for projected 2030 volumes of ~250,000 vehicles assuming similar material mix to today, either breakthroughs must accelerate vastly or temporary offsets may be necessary while scale ramps.
Similar supply chain risks likely exist for EV batteries regarding issues like ethical cobalt mining important for most current lithium-ion chemistries. Alternatives like solid-state batteries eliminating cobalt are fast-tracked for development but not guaranteed for commercial viability this decade.
The interconnectedness of the systems that must progress together for Project 0 indicates reaching absolute carbon neutrality by 2030 will prove extremely tricky. But pushing ambitious timelines accelerates urgency and keeps stakeholders accountable to drive progress faster. So while Polestar may fall slightly short of 2030 technical success, their vision and leadership galvanizes essential industry momentum.
How Sustainable are Polestar‘s Current Vehicles vs Industry?
As Polestar pushes towards its 2040 companywide net-zero target backed by supply chain evolution through Project 0, how green are their cars right now?
Let‘s examine the cradle-to-grave emissions footprint of the flagship Polestar 2 sedan compared to benchmarks from key electric vehicle peers:
| Vehicle | Lifetime Emissions (tonnes CO2e) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Polestar 2 | 0.29 – 0.32 | Range depending on battery size |
| Tesla Model 3 | 2.1 | Over 200,000 miles per Tesla‘s Impact Report |
| Hyundai Ioniq 5 | 0.26 – 0.36 | Various wheel options impact carbon fiber usage |
| Audi e-tron SUV | 0.64 | Aluminum vehicle structures increase mining emissions |
We see Polestar already matching or leading the pack on lifetime carbon impact per vehicle, while openly communicating emissions data to benchmark improvement areas as partnerships evolve. Reducing supply chain emissions from structurals like aluminum casts or wiring manufacturing will be top priorities.
And manufacturing facilities under Polestar‘s direct control source renewable electricity through contract agreements as they scale volume on current and upcoming vehicle lines. So expect even cleaner product lifecycles this decade if Project 0 influences industry transformation as intended!
Closing Perspectives on the Journey to Carbon Neutrality
Project Polestar 0 represents one of the most progressive visions for sustainability our industry has seen. And while achieving neutrality across millions of cars by 2030 relies on rapid systemic change unlikely to fully synchronize so quickly, their push accelerates progress many years beyond what competitors have committed to.
Ultimately, consumer pull is required to motivate such rapid supply chain transformation through showing demand and willingness to pay premiums for truly clean electric mobility. Encouragingly, surveys identify over 80% of car buyers expect automakers to help improve environmental sustainability through the products brought to market. Regulatory pressures will further help mandate industry change.
The road ahead remains long, but Project 0 switches transportation towards renewable trajectories – and Polestar doesn‘t lack ambition to lead the pack. Their success pioneering carbon neutrality will lift entire value chains with them. Competitors must now rise to meet similar innovation challenges for the planet and our future generations rely on no less.
