Polestar wants its cars to be carbon-neutral by 2030

Volvo’s performance EV subsidiary Polestar is reportedly taking steps to go greener than any electric auto manufacturer before it. As part of the company’s inaugural release of its annual review and sustainability report, Polestar announced on Wednesday that it plans to produce only carbon-neutral vehicles by 2030.

Rather than planting trees as a means of offsetting carbon dioxide emissions from its production chain, a practice which Polestar CEO, Thomas Ingenlath, considers a “cop-out,” the company will instead cut emissions by altering the manner in which its cars are made. This will include the entirety of Polestar’s production process from suppliers to retailers.

“We’re electric, so we don’t have to worry about combustion engines producing toxic emissions – but that doesn’t mean our job is done,” Polestar’s Head of Sustainability, Fredrika Klarén, noted in a Wednesday press statement. “We will now work to eradicate all emissions stemming from production of our vehicles. Now is a historic and exciting time for car manufacturers, an opportunity to seize the moment, do better and dare to build the dream of climate-neutral, circular and beautiful cars.”

This move comes as the global automotive industry scrambles to clean up its act and individual automakers position themselves in what is quickly shaping up to be an electrified and sustainable future. The past few years have presented environmental advocates with a number of challenges, such as Volkswagen’s 2015 Dieselgate scandal in which the company employed a software cheat to circumvent industry diesel emission standards, or the Trump administration’s Quiotian quest to roll back Obama-era emissions rules and California’s lawsuit against the former administration over its proposed national fuel efficiency standards.

Details are still scarce as to what tangible steps Polestar intends on taking to achieve its carbon neutral dreams by the end of this decade.