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Swedish auto firm Polestar aims to create climate-neutral car by 2030
Alec Fenn
Europe;Sweden
Swedish electric car maker Polestar has announced its plan to create a climate-neutral car by 2030 by making its entire manufacturing process sustainable. /Polestar

Swedish electric car maker Polestar has announced its plan to create a climate-neutral car by 2030 by making its entire manufacturing process sustainable. /Polestar

 

Swedish car maker Polestar has announced its plan to create a climate-neutral car by 2030 and lead the automotive industry's fight to slash carbon emissions.

Polestar currently makes electric performance cars but its big aim is to make its entire manufacturing process sustainable, partly by using alternative forms of energy.

Fredrika Klaren, the company's head of sustainability, says there are simple ways of dramatically reducing emissions that Polestar will aim to implement in the near future.

 

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She tells CGTN: "One strategic initiative that we work with is renewable energy and the supply chain. We have the technology to power industries with renewable energy; we have solar cells, we have wind power, we have water power. 

"When we work with our supply chain, we see that this is a feasible possibility that we can tap into very quickly. We want to do that throughout the whole supply chain, from the manufacturing facilities down to the raw material extraction."

 

Polestar, which is owned by Volvo and Chinese company Geely, is aiming to make its manufacturing process completely sustainable. /Polestar

Polestar, which is owned by Volvo and Chinese company Geely, is aiming to make its manufacturing process completely sustainable. /Polestar

 

In an effort to build trust with consumers and shake up the car industry, Polestar will begin publishing the carbon footprint of each of its cars in the same way that food brands reveal nutritional information on the labels of their products.

"At the moment there is no way for the consumers to compare the footprint of Polestar to to another car model, because there is a lack of transparency on how these footprints are calculated and there is very little harmonization when it comes to these calculations," says Klaren.

"Last autumn we called for the industry to become more transparent about the carbon footprint of our models. And we hope that that is what we are now embarking on: a journey where we, as an industry, guide our consumers with the data that we have, that show the footprint of the cars." 

 

Polestar has also confirmed it will publish the carbon footprint of each of its cars in the same way food brands label their products with nutritional information. /Polestar

Polestar has also confirmed it will publish the carbon footprint of each of its cars in the same way food brands label their products with nutritional information. /Polestar

 

Polestar, which is owned by Volvo and Chinese company Geely, believe consumers worldwide are increasingly aware of the impact their transport choices have on the environment. The car maker wants to give them information that will inform their future purchases.

"We see on a global scale consumers becoming more aware, wanting to lead sustainable lifestyles, wanting to be conscious in their decisions when shopping," adds Klaren. "But I also see that we have a responsibility of guiding them, of inspiring them, of showing attractive solutions that will just enhance that behavioral development. 

"At Polestar, we will try to do our best to really lead our consumers down this path and to show them how easy it is to choose an electric car,  how fun it is to drive, and also that you actually feel good, that you've made a sustainable choice."

Karlen says it's also vital that Polestar creates a car that is affordable for the masses so that innovations have the biggest possible impact on the environment. 

"I really do hope that we as an industry now really offer these more sustainable options for all kinds of people, for different wallet sizes. At Polestar, we know the car that we want to deliver to the market and it has to be for the many."

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