Polestar is leading the way toward sustainability. In a recent press release, the electric car maker is working with Swiss company Bcomp to replace dashboard plastics and leather seats with natural materials and recycled plastic. We’ve already seen this marvelous vegan-themed interior in the Polestar 2, and it seems this trend will continue in future Polestar models.
“It’s clear that to be truly sustainable we have to evaluate every element that goes into our cars,” said 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.”
Polestar is using flax instead of plastic
Modern vehicles are literally festooned in an endless array of plastic interior components. You’ll see it on the dashboard, center console, and door sidings. However, Bcomp is changing all this by using innovative materials derived from natural fibers.
The innovative specialists at Bcomp created a new composite material derived from flax or common linseed. You see, flax is better suited to crop rotation programs and will not directly compete with food crops. Using Bcomp’s proprietary powerRibs TM and ampliTex technology, this new flax-based material is purported to be 50-percent lighter with an 80-percent reduction in plastic content compared to conventional interior panels.
Also, Bcomp and Polestar are quick to point the material is also stronger and lighter than ordinary plastic materials.
The seats are also crafted from recycled plastic bottles
The sad truth is that oceans, beaches, and coastlines around the world are littered with an endless array of ghastly PET bottles. Helping the cause is Polestar and Bcomp’s new seats that are made using a 3D-knit material derived from recycled materials, particularly from washed-up empty PET bottles.
After the bottles are collected and washed clean, Bcomp turns the plastic bottles into 100-percent recycled yarn to make the seats. The company utilizes a single thread to create a unique three-dimensional effect for a more premium look.
Woven carpets derived from discarded fishing nets
Apparently, even the wine and fishing industry can benefit from Polestar and Bcomp’s research on sustainability. The corks from discarded wine bottles are also recycled and utilized in the vehicle’s interior. On the other hand, recycled fishing nets are given a second life as Recycled Nylon 6, which are then used to make premium woven carpets.
As a matter of fact, the Polestar 2 already has cork and fishing nets in its interior, and it looks good from our perspective. “Importantly, we don’t need to sacrifice design and luxury with these materials,” says Maximilian Missoni, head of Design at Polestar. “If anything, they enable even more premium, cutting-edge, modern and stylish executions which elevate our design-led products. It also presents a positive challenge, giving new meaning to interior design. We are able to derive new aesthetics from new contexts and technologies, allowing society to move on.”
The world is changing rapidly towards sustainable and environmentally-friendly advancements, both in terms of engineering and design. The Polestar 2 is only the start.