We’re waiting for the arrival of Polestar’s second model, the Polestar 2, which is going to take the Tesla Model 3 head on. In addition to its all electric powertrain, Polestar is serious about sustainability and is taking the interior of its future models further than just its vegan interior in the Polestar 2.
Polestar’s goal is to reduce the plastic content and lessen waste material by using new natural and recycled source materials.
“It’s clear that to be truly sustainable we have to evaluate every element that goes into our cars,” says Thomas Ingenlath, Polestar CEO. “For Polestar, sustainability is not just about the electric powertrain. With the development of these innovative new solutions that we will introduce in our future cars we make a strong statement of our intentions.”
One new material it’s using is a Bcomp’s natural fiber composite to reduce plastic content. The fiber composite utilizes flax, which differs from many bio-materials as it is both ideal for use in crop rotation programs and does not directly compete with food crops. The composite also reduces the weight by 50% and reduces the plastic content in the interior by 80% compared to traditional interior panels. Bcomp is not only stronger but also lighter than traditional plastics used in car interiors.
The 3D-knit material is also used for the seats to reduce waste and promote recycled material sources. A single thread is used to produce a three-dimensional individual component in its entirety and the base material is 100% recycled yarn derived from PET bottles. The interior also uses recycled cork and fishing nets.
Recycled cork and even whole bottle stoppers can be integrated into PVC interior and recycled Nylon 6, derived from discarded fishing nets, can be turned into woven carpets.