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Polestar Doubles Down on Sustainability, Will Improve Biodiversity and Recyclability

In an industry where carbon neutrality and sustainability have become critical, automakers must not only make promises but also show how they are integrating different methods to become more environmentally friendly. That’s precisely what Polestar has done with the Sustainability Report 2022.
2024 Polestar 2 6 photos
Photo: Polestar
Polestar 0 ProjectPolestar 0 Project - risk material lithiumPolestar 0 Project - risk material nickelPolestar and Rivian initiate report that shows car industry to overshoot2024 Polestar 2
Polestar is a Swedish electric performance car brand headquartered in Gothenburg, Sweden. Once a performance tuner for Volvo cars, it was established as a standalone premium car manufacturer and a joint venture between Volvo Cars and Geely Holding in 2017. Its vehicles are available in 27 markets globally across North America, Europe, and Asia Pacific.

To showcase initiatives and performance on environmental, social, and governance matters, Polestar publishes the Annual Sustainability Report – the 2022 one is the third of its kind. Compared to 2021, the company reduced 8% of its CO2 emissions while experiencing a record global volume growth. Specifically, Polestar delivered almost 51,500 vehicles last year, an 80% increase compared to 2021.

Even though the increased sales mean more absolute emissions, things are different per unit. The company has reduced relative emissions by 13% since 2020. As part of the Polestar 0 project, the brand aims to produce a genuinely climate-neutral car by 2030. More than 20 companies from various industries have joined the initiative, helping find solutions to eliminate CO2 emissions.

But how has Polestar managed to reduce its environmental impact? The results were determined by several factors, such as reduced average transport and more renewable energy on grids. Furthermore, Polestar also made some modifications regarding the manufacturing process.

For instance, the company changed the supplier that provided aluminum for the wheels and battery trays for Polestar 2 – the supplier uses a hydro-powered smelter, which translates into a 1,2-tonne reduction per car. Moreover, the factory producing the Polestar 2 runs solely on renewable electricity.

Besides providing a clear environmental footprint regarding production, Polestar has a social footprint for each of its electric vehicles. The company uses blockchain to trace risk materials to the mine, ensuring that social and environmental risks are minimized in complex supply chains. It increased the material traceability, which now includes cobalt, mica, nickel, lithium, leather, and wool.

Throughout 2022, Polestar partnered with Circle Economy and STENA Recycling to analyze the brand’s impact and establish a clear circularity baseline. The aim is to improve raw material consumption, biodiversity, and recyclability.

You can find additional information in the 2022 Sustainability Report, which provides an in-depth view of how Polestar tackles a shift to sustainable vehicle production. What’s more, Sustainalytics, an independent ESG (environmental, social, and governance) and corporate governance research, ratings, and analytics firm, rated Polestar a low-risk 17 out of 100.

The Swedish company plans on introducing three new EVs by 2026: Polestar 4, a sporty SUV coupe; Polestar 5, a luxury four-door GT; and the Polestar 6 roadster.
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About the author: Mircea Mazuru
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Starting out with a motorcycle permit just because he could get one two years earlier than a driver's license, Mircea keeps his passion for bikes (motor or no motor) alive to this day. His lifelong dream is to build his own custom camper van.
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