Some of the world’s leading automotive industry suppliers, including SSAB steel, Hydro renewable energy, ZF electric powertrains, ZKW control systems and Autoliv safety equipment, are joining forces with intent to collaborate on the Polestar 0 Project, which aims to develop a truly climate-neutral car. Uniting major companies across the automotive supply chain will enable Polestar to reach this vision while also helping the overall transport sector play its part in reducing climate impact.
Polestar has now signed Letters of Intent to collaborate with a selection of strategic partners in the realms of metals, safety, driving systems and electronics. Each of the suppliers target a specific part of the automotive supply chain with carbon emissions addressed in Polestar’s Life Cycle Assessments (LCAs) of vehicle carbon footprints. The LCAs have helped pinpoint the components and processes involved in producing cars that need to be reimagined to reduce and ultimately eliminate carbon emissions.
“It was clear from the start that this is not a solo mission and we are very excited to present such a strong line-up of interested partners, all leaders within their fields. We are leveraging innovation and collaboration to address the climate crisis,” says Thomas Ingenlath, Polestar CEO.
Nordic steel and metals producer SSAB intends to collaborate with Polestar on fossil-free steel, which could potentially replace conventional steel as well as other materials with significant carbon footprints.
Norwegian aluminum and renewable energy company Hydro intends to collaborate with Polestar’s experts on zero-carbon aluminum. Systems supplier ZF intends to explore how their innovation in electric powertrain and overall systems could eliminate carbon emissions and save resources.
Automotive safety supplier Autoliv will partner with Polestar on production of safety equipment such as airbags and seatbelts with zero emissions. Lighting manufacturer ZKW will work with Polestar on climate-neutral electrical control systems and wiring.
Polestar has extended an invitation to other suppliers, researchers, universities, entrepreneurs, investors, governmental- and non-governmental organizations, for possible collaboration. As part of this search for new partners, Polestar will be reaching out to researchers from across the globe through SDSN, the world’s largest academic network working in support of the Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Agreement.
Hans Pehrson, leader of the Polestar 0 Project, says: “We believe in the exponential development of climate solution technologies. For this project, we must tap into solutions that are still in the innovation stage. Even more exciting is that the solutions we develop will not only benefit the automotive industry overall but help decarbonize manufacturing and society more widely as well. Wherever we look in the world we see materials like steel, aluminum, electronics and rubber. Imagine when we can make these materials climate-neutral to produce. Together, we can make the seemingly impossible happen.”
Announced in 2021, the Polestar 0 project is Polestar’s industry-leading initiative to create a truly climate-neutral car by 2030 by eliminating emissions from the supply chain and changing the way that cars are made, rather than planting trees to offset CO2 emissions. Polestar committed to this target for one simple reason: the transport sector is the fastest-growing greenhouse gas (GHG) emitting sector in the world, expected to reach a share of more than 30 percent of total GHG emissions in the future*.
