Sweden-based electric vehicle manufacturer Polestar says it has slashed the total “cradle-to-gate” carbon footprint of its new Polestar 3 electric performance SUV as it continues to gain efficiencies and use more renewables in the manufacturing process.
Polestar, jointly owned by Volvo and their parent company Geely, says the total cradle-to-gate carbon footprint of the Polestar 3 is lower than that of the smaller Polestar 2 when it was launched in 2020, coming in at only at 24.7 tCO2e, as compared to 26.1 tCO2e.
The reduction in carbon footprint was made by increasing renewable energy generation for producing aluminium, lithium-ion cell modules, and anode and cathode materials.
According to the Lifecycle Assessment report for the Polestar 3, 81% of Polestar 3’s total aluminium mass production, the lithium-ion battery cell module production, as well as anode and cathode material production, all used 100% renewable electricity, resulting in the elimination of 8.5tCO2e worth of emissions from the supply chain.
It expects the cradle-to-gate emissions of the upcoming Polestar 4 to be even lower at 21.4tCO2e.
As a result – but depending on the share of renewable energy in the grid used to charge the Polestar 3 – the car’s cradle-to-grave carbon footprint ranges between 28.5tCO2e to 44.5tCO2e.
“The majority of a vehicle’s greenhouse gas emissions stem from extracting and processing materials,” said Fredrika Klarén, head of sustainability at Polestar.
“As we accelerate the adoption of electric cars, there is a lot we can do to reduce their production-related emissions and strengthen the role of innovations and of electric cars as a climate solution, Polestar 3 is a testament to that.”
Production of the first Polestar 3’s began at Volvo Cars’ Chengdu factory in China, while additional production is slated to get underway in South Carolina, USA, in the middle of 2024. Both facilities use 100% renewable electricity, but Polestar will be providing a separate Lifecycle Assessment report for car’s manufactured in South Carolina.
Officially unveiled in late-2022, Polestar quickly slashed pricing for the Polestar 3 in China as part of the wider EV price war in the country. Polestar also opened its order books in early 2023 for Australian customers looking to buy the Polestar 3, with a starting price of $132,900, excluding on-road costs.
Joshua S. Hill is a Melbourne-based journalist who has been writing about climate change, clean technology, and electric vehicles for over 15 years. He has been reporting on electric vehicles and clean technologies for Renew Economy and The Driven since 2012. His preferred mode of transport is his feet.