How Polestar wants to create a completely carbon-free car

Me Polestar Project 0 The joint venture between Volvo and Geely wants to build an electric car by 2030 that is completely climate-neutral. And not as a concept car, but one that should go into series production. Project manager Hans Pehrson has now explained to Futurezone in more detail how this huge challenge had to be solved – and compared it to the challenges of the first moon landing.

“Like the Apollo moon missions in the 1960s, we are aiming for the first world within a decade”, told Futurezone. Like the moon landing, this is only possible with strong allies. “We realized very early on that a project like this requires a partnership that goes far beyond the usual business-to-business relationship”, Pehrson is quoted as saying. It is also not part of a project to build a climate-neutral car without compensation – that is the aim and purpose of this project.

In order to develop a carbon-free car by 2030, advanced research into fossil-free materials will be completed by 2025, explains the project manager at Polestar. The next step is to test new materials and processes, validate all material concepts, functions and supply chains and start with vehicle design. “By 2027 we need to start building new manufacturing facilities and complete the full supply chain for mass production. Only after that can we start manufacturing the car itself”according to Pehrson.

For the project to be implemented effectively, all greenhouse gas emissions will have to be removed from the supply chain and production process. “When we say zero carbon, we mean eliminating all carbon emissions in the supply chain, from the cradle to the factory gate, including all materials. There is no such thing as reduction anywhere in the supply chain. We recognize that this is an unprecedented challenge”explains Pehson.

Complexity as a major challenge

The biggest challenge is the complexity of a vehicle with thousands of individual parts and many suppliers and partners, all of which must be part of a complete decarbonisation. “Today there are no solutions to make everyday products and equipment without emitting CO2. As a society, we have become accustomed and accepted in a way that the products, services and components we use every day have emissions associated with them.”says the project manager.

Batteries, aluminum and steel are the carbon-heavy components of the modern car – and therefore represent the biggest challenges in the process. Along with the battery, deep recycling should help in achieving the goals. Another problem will be handling all the supply chains within the car production in a non-climatic way. But since the project has now inspired many partners – including in universities – Polestar is sure to find solutions to all these problems.

“Looking at just a few of the partners, research into fossil-free solutions in areas such as steel, aluminum, cables, biomaterials, packaging, and wood and paper construction can make a big difference when applied to other industries. So it can make a big contribution to community”Pehrson is also quoted as saying.

Which: Futurezone – “Interview: How sustainable can an electric car be?”