‘Electrification is not enough.’ Polestar and Rivian report calls for urgent action to save planet
EV automakers Rivian and Polestar have collaborated on a “Pathway Report” which has concluded that the automotive industry, which currently accounts for 15% of all greenhouse gas on Earth, is on pace to overshoot the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s (IPPC) pathway by at least 75% by 2050. The report calls for urgent action and lays out a three-lever approach with hopes the entire industry can collaborate while it still has time to get back on track with the Paris Agreement.
While it’s of course fun to learn and explore all the new and emerging EVs technology here on Earth, it’s also important to recognize why zero emission vehicles have been reintroduced to society and why they are so vital to the future of the human race.
Despite what some political leaders or cynics may say, there’s no denying the blatant evidence of climate change throughout the world. While we at Electrek celebrate electric mobility, part of its success in recent years has been a symptom of a much larger issue created be the combustion-reliant vehicles that dominated the industry before them.
We’ve seen EV adoption snowball the past few years and nearly all automakers have committed to at least some deadline for complete electrification (although for many that still includes hybrids). The Paris Agreement has outlined global goals to bring Earth’s temperatures back down and combat the looming effects of climate change.
We’ve said it before. Ending the sale of gasoline vehicle by 2035 is still not enough. Others have shared similar sentiments about the Inflation Reduction Act as well. While we should of course acknowledge the good these pieces of legislature can do, we must keep the celebrations brief and refocus on the task at hand.
EV automakers like Polestar and Rivian – two relatively young marques, each with a keen focus on sustainability, share a similar sentiment and have combined to deliver a gloomy report. As hopeless as it may feel at times, this new “Pathway Report” lays out plans for action with hopes that other automakers will drop some of their competitiveness to collaborate for the good of humankind.
Please read the “Pathway Report” from Rivian, Polestar
Both Rivian and Polestar posted the “Pathway Report” this afternoon. It was carried out by global management consulting firm, Kearney, and uses existing, open-source data to model the current trajectory for emissions stemming from the automotive industry.
The IPCC has stated that all greenhouse gas emissions must be reduced by 43% by 2030 to remain on track for its 1.5-degree pathway. According to the report, the auto industry alone is projected to overshoot that path by at least 75% by 2050.
Furthermore, the report states the car industry is expected to spend its entire CO2 budget as early as 2035 – a deadline many automakers have set to merely end ICE vehicle sales. Essentially, the automotive industry needs to be negative emissions by 2035, so ending new combustion models by then simply will not do.
All is not lost my friends. The new report does suggest that the entire industry can still get back on track and even outlines three levers in doing so:
- Lever 1 – Determine the speed fossil fuel-powered cars need to be replaced.
- Lever 2 – Increase renewable energy in power grids.
- Lever 3 – Reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the manufacturing supply chain.
Levers 2 and 3 will really need some serious bolstering if this strategy is to succeed. Polestar in particular has made admirable efforts to reduce its carbon footprint throughout its production processes and is currently working to deliver a climate-neutral EV by 2030 and hopefully one day deliver a 100% recyclable EV. Polestar’s head of sustainability Fredrika Klarén spoke to the “Pathway Report” assembled with the help of Rivian:
Car companies may be on different paths when it comes to brand, design, and business strategies, and some won’t even admit that the road to the future is electric. I believe it is, and that the climate crisis is a shared responsibility, and we must look beyond tailpipe emissions. This report makes clear the importance of acting now and together. There’s a clear cost to inaction, but there’s also a financial opportunity for innovators who find new answers to the challenges we face.
Polestar and Rivian state today’s report has already been shared with several of the world’s largest automakers alongside a roundtable invitation to discuss collaborative action. More talks are being planned over the coming months. You can view the full report from Kearney here.
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Wind energy powered 20% of all electricity consumed in Europe (19% in the EU) in 2024, and the EU has set a goal to grow this share to 34% by 2030 and more than 50% by 2050.
To stay on track, the EU needs to install 30 GW of new wind farms annually, but it only managed 13 GW in 2024 – 11.4 GW onshore and 1.4 GW offshore. This is what’s holding the EU back from achieving its wind growth goals.
Three big problems holding Europe’s wind power back
Europe’s wind power growth is stalling for three key reasons:
Permitting delays. Many governments haven’t implemented the EU’s new permitting rules, making it harder for projects to move forward.
Grid connection bottlenecks. Over 500 GW(!) of potential wind capacity is stuck in grid connection queues.
Slow electrification. Europe’s economy isn’t electrifying fast enough to drive demand for more renewable energy.
Brussels-based trade association WindEurope CEO Giles Dickson summed it up: “The EU must urgently tackle all three problems. More wind means cheaper power, which means increased competitiveness.”
Permitting: Germany sets the standard
Permitting remains a massive roadblock, despite new EU rules aimed at streamlining the process. In fact, the situation worsened in 2024 in many countries. The bright spot? Germany. By embracing the EU’s permitting rules — with measures like binding deadlines and treating wind energy as a public interest priority — Germany approved a record 15 GW of new onshore wind in 2024. That’s seven times more than five years ago.
If other governments follow Germany’s lead, Europe could unlock the full potential of wind energy and bolster energy security.
Grid connections: a growing crisis
Access to the electricity grid is now the biggest obstacle to deploying wind energy. And it’s not just about long queues — Europe’s grid infrastructure isn’t expanding fast enough to keep up with demand. A glaring example is Germany’s 900-megawatt (MW) Borkum Riffgrund 3 offshore wind farm. The turbines are ready to go, but the grid connection won’t be in place until 2026.
This issue isn’t isolated. Governments need to accelerate grid expansion if they’re serious about meeting renewable energy targets.
Electrification: falling behind
Wind energy’s growth is also tied to how quickly Europe electrifies its economy. Right now, electricity accounts for just 23% of the EU’s total energy consumption. That needs to jump to 61% by 2050 to align with climate goals. However, electrification efforts in key sectors like transportation, heating, and industry are moving too slowly.
European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen has tasked Energy Commissioner Dan Jørgensen with crafting an Electrification Action Plan. That can’t come soon enough.
More wind farms awarded, but challenges persist
On a positive note, governments across Europe awarded a record 37 GW of new wind capacity (29 GW in the EU) in 2024. But without faster permitting, better grid connections, and increased electrification, these awards won’t translate into the clean energy-producing wind farms Europe desperately needs.
Investments and corporate interest
Investments in wind energy totaled €31 billion in 2024, financing 19 GW of new capacity. While onshore wind investments remained strong at €24 billion, offshore wind funding saw a dip. Final investment decisions for offshore projects remain challenging due to slow permitting and grid delays.
Corporate consumers continue to show strong interest in wind energy. Half of all electricity contracted under Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) in 2024 was wind. Dedicated wind PPAs were 4 GW out of a total of 12 GW of renewable PPAs.
Read more: Renewables could meet almost half of global electricity demand by 2030 – IEA
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In the Electrek Podcast, we discuss the most popular news in the world of sustainable transport and energy. In this week’s episode, we discuss the official unveiling of the new Tesla Model Y, Mazda 6e, Aptera solar car production-intent, and more.
The show is live every Friday at 4 p.m. ET on Electrek’s YouTube channel.
As a reminder, we’ll have an accompanying post, like this one, on the site with an embedded link to the live stream. Head to the YouTube channel to get your questions and comments in.
After the show ends at around 5 p.m. ET, the video will be archived on YouTube and the audio on all your favorite podcast apps:
We now have a Patreon if you want to help us avoid more ads and invest more in our content. We have some awesome gifts for our Patreons and more coming.
Here are a few of the articles that we will discuss during the podcast:
Here’s the live stream for today’s episode starting at 4:00 p.m. ET (or the video after 5 p.m. ET):
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The Chinese EV leader is launching a new flagship electric sedan. BYD’s new Han L EV leaked in China on Friday, revealing a potential Tesla Model S Plaid challenger.
What we know about the BYD Han L EV so far
We knew it was coming soon after BYD teased the Han L on social media a few days ago. Now, we are learning more about what to expect.
BYD’s new electric sedan appeared in China’s latest Ministry of Industry and Information Tech (MIIT) filing, a catalog of new vehicles that will soon be sold.
The filing revealed four versions, including two EV and two PHEV models. The Han L EV will be available in single- and dual-motor configurations. With a peak power of 580 kW (777 hp), the single-motor model packs more power than expected.
BYD’s dual-motor Han L gains an additional 230 kW (308 hp) front-mounted motor. As CnEVPost pointed out, the vehicle’s back has a “2.7S” badge, which suggests a 0 to 100 km/h (0 to 62 mph) sprint time of just 2.7 seconds.
To put that into perspective, the Tesla Model S Plaid can accelerate from 0 to 100 km in 2.1 seconds. In China, the Model S Plaid starts at RBM 814,900, or over $110,000. Speaking of Tesla, the EV leader just unveiled its highly anticipated Model Y “Juniper” refresh in China on Thursday. It starts at RMB 263,500 ($36,000).
BYD already sells the Han EV in China, starting at around RMB 200,000. However, the single front motor, with a peak power of 180 kW, is much less potent than the “L” model. The Han EV can accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in 7.9 seconds.
At 5,050 mm long, 1,960 mm wide, and 1,505 mm tall with a wheelbase of 2,970 mm, BYD’s new Han L is roughly the size of the Model Y (4,970 mm long, 1,964 mm wide, 1,445 mm tall, wheelbase of 2,960 mm).
Other than that it will use a lithium iron phosphate (LFP) pack from BYD’s FinDreams unit, no other battery specs were revealed. Check back soon for the full rundown.
Source: CnEVPost, China MIIT
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