Growing sales but not emissions – Polestar reduces CO2 intensity by 8% during a record year
Swedish EV maker Polestar released its third annual sustainability report showing it had reduced relative CO2 emissions by 8% per car sold – during a year of record growth in 2022.
Polestar cuts CO2 emissions during record growth
Polestar delivered 51,491 vehicles in 2022, up 80% from 2021 and beating its 50,000 annual global volume target.
Despite the impressive growth, Polestar managed to reduce relative CO2 emissions for each vehicle sold by 8% compared to 2021 levels.
Due to scaling operations (nearly doubling), Polestar’s absolute emissions did increase, but this is to be expected as a rapid growth company expands its network.
Absolute emissions include the total amount of greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) a company emits compared to a specific base year. In contrast, relative emissions include those tied to a unit of production – in Polestar’s case, each vehicle.
While absolute emissions have risen, Polestar has reduced its relative emissions on a per-vehicle basis by 13% since 2020, an impressive feat for a company that has scaled from just over 10,000 EV sales to over 51,000.
The EV maker says it has cut emissions by reducing average transport, having high sales in markets with more renewable energy on the grids (Norway, Sweden, Australia, etc.), and vehicle updates using over-the-air (OTA) tech.
For example, Polestar says it changed the supplier providing aluminum for the wheels and battery trays for the Polestar 2, where a “change to a hydro-powered smelter resulted in a 1.2-ton reduction per car.”
Other contributing factors to the reduction include the factory where the Polestar 2 is built now running on 100% renewable energy and a larger share of single motor vehicles, which have low energy demand.
Fredrika Klarén, head of sustainability at Polestar, said:
We wear our emissions on our sleeve – measuring and scrutinizing every detail ensures we keep our eye on the ball.
Polestar is best known for its sleek minimalist designed vehicles that bring out the best in EVs, but what you may not know is that the Swedish EV maker is on a mission to improve sustainability in the auto industry, not just through its vehicles but with transparent tracking and reporting.
Electrification is not enough
Polestar is one of the automakers that’s actively working to advance zero-emission technology, not against it. The Swedish EV maker aims to build a completely climate-neutral EV by 2030 with the Polestar 0 project.
Klarén explains:
Electrification alone is not enough and pure EV-makers like Polestar have a lot of work ahead of us. Our focus remains unchanged as we double down on cutting emissions in our supply chain.
In addition to reducing emissions from its vehicle lineup, Polestar aims to be completely transparent by disclosing where the minerals (cobalt, mica, lithium, nickel, leather, and wool) they use are sourced from and the supply chains they use, as well as reporting back the results to provide valuable insights to push the industry ahead.
Earlier this year, Klarén called out automakers, saying anyone focusing on anything but EVs are taking the wrong approach, adding there is no place for mass-produced non-EV models after 2030.
She says Polestar is basing its assessments on science rather than locked in business plans like many other automakers, claiming:
From our standpoint, our climate strategy is based on the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change). It’s a top-down approach. We’ve said that we need to be climate neutral by 2040 as a company and we need to halve emissions by 2030, and that’s not what we can do – that is what the climate scientists are telling us we need to do as companies.
Klarén turned her attention toward Toyota and its stance on hybrid vehicles, saying:
To me, you’re still putting gasoline in the car, so don’t focus on that technology at all. If you keep focussing [and] having that in your business plan, you’re not going to level up in the way you need to do in terms of this new technology.
If we continue down the path we are headed, Klarén explains, we only have seven more years until we hit 1.5 degrees global warming, so anything after 2030, Polestar is not interested.
Electrek’s Take
The fact that Polestar has been able to grow as rapidly as it has and still managed to reduce relative CO2 emissions is an important one. It shows it can be done.
Another important thing to note here is this just includes manufacturing emissions, which is nothing compared to emissions from operation. Information from the EPA shows 74% (some estimates say +90%) of gas car emissions over their lifetime are from operation, while EVs emit zero GHGs while driving.
Polestar is leading the charge toward a sustainable auto industry, but it’s still only a fraction of the total market.
Other automakers need to get on board, and it starts with ending gas-powered vehicle production ASAP. We cannot afford to continue on the path we are on. Global CO2 emissions hit a new record in 2022, and if something isn’t done, it could mean more extreme weather events that destroy communities and the food supply.
Atmospheric CO2 levels are just over 420 ppm, according to the NOAA’s Mauna Loa Baseline Observatory’s latest readings.
For us to get back to the 300 to 360 ppm range that it has been over the past several millenniums, the transportation industry, one of the largest contributors to emissions, needs to modernize – and quickly.
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BMW Motorrad’s futuristic electric scooter just got its first real refresh since beginning production in 2021. The BMW CE 04, already one of the most capable and stylish electric maxi-scooters on the market, now gets a set of upgraded trim options, new aesthetic touches, and a more robust list of features that aim to make this urban commuter even more appealing to riders looking for serious electric performance on two wheels.
The BMW CE 04 has always stood out for its sci-fi styling and high-performance drivetrain. It’s built on a mid-mounted liquid-cooled motor that puts out 31 kW (42 hp) and 62 Nm of torque. That’s enough to rocket the scooter from 0 to 50 km/h (31 mph) in just 2.6 seconds – quite fast for anything with a step-through frame.
The top speed is electronically limited to 120 km/h (75 mph), making it perfectly capable for city riding and fast enough to hold its own on highway stretches. Range is rated at 130 km (81 miles) on the WMTC cycle, thanks to the 8.9 kWh battery pack tucked low in the frame.
But while the core performance hasn’t changed, BMW’s 2025 update focuses on refining the package and giving riders more options to tailor the scooter to their taste. The new CE 04 is available in three trims: Basic, Avantgarde, and Exclusive.
The Basic trim keeps things clean and classic with a Lightwhite paint scheme and a clear windshield. It’s subtle, sleek, and very much in line with the CE 04’s clean-lined aesthetic. The Avantgarde model adds a splash of color with a Gravity Blue main body and bright São Paulo Yellow accents, along with a dark windshield and a laser-engraved rim. The top-shelf Exclusive trim is where things get fancy, with a premium Spacesilver metallic paint job, upgraded wind protection, heated grips, a luxury embroidered seat, and its own unique engraved rim treatment.
There are also a few new tech upgrades baked into the options list. Riders can now spec a 6.9 kW quick charger that reduces the 0–80% charge time to just 45 minutes (down from nearly 4 hours with the standard 2.3 kW onboard charger). Tire pressure monitoring, a center stand, and BMW’s “Headlight Pro” adaptive lighting system are also available as add-ons, along with an emergency eCall system and Dynamic Traction Control.
BMW has kept the core riding components in place: a steel-tube chassis, 15-inch wheels, Bosch ABS (with optional ABS Pro), and the impressive 10.25” TFT display with integrated navigation and smartphone connectivity. The under-seat storage still swallows a full-face helmet, and the long, low frame design means the scooter looks like something out of Blade Runner but rides like a luxury commuter.
With these updates, BMW seems to be further cementing the CE 04’s role at the high end of the electric scooter market. It’s not cheap, starting around €12,000 in Europe and around US $12,500 in the US, with prices going up from there depending on configuration. However, the maxi-scooter delivers real motorcycle-grade performance in a package that’s easier to live with for daily riders.
Electrek’s Take
I believe that the CE 04’s biggest strength has always been that it’s not trying to be a toy or a gimmick. It’s a real vehicle. Sure, it’s futuristic and funky looking, but it delivers on its promises. And in a market that’s still surprisingly sparse when it comes to premium electric scooters, BMW has had the lane mostly to itself. That may not last forever, though. LiveWire, Harley-Davidson’s electric spin-off brand, has teased plans for a maxi-scooter-style urban electric vehicle in the coming years, but as of now, it remains something of an undefined future plan.
Meanwhile, BMW is delivering not just a concept bike but a mature, well-equipped, and ready-to-ride electric scooter that keeps improving. For riders who want something faster and more capable than a Class 3 e-bike but aren’t ready to jump to a full-size electric motorcycle, the CE 04 hits a sweet spot. It delivers the performance and capability of a commuter e-motorcycle, yet with the approachability of a scooter. And with these new trims and upgrades, it’s doing it with even more style.
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If you’ve ever wondered what happens when you combine a fruit cart, a cargo bike, and a Piaggio Ape all in one vehicle, now you’ve got your answer. I submit, for your approval, this week’s feature for the Awesomely Weird Alibaba Electric Vehicle of the Week column – and it’s a beautiful doozie.
Feast your eyes on this salad slinging, coleslaw cruising, tuber taxiing produce chariot!
I think this electric vegetable trike might finally scratch the itch long felt by many of my readers. It seems every time I cover an electric trike, even the really cool ones, I always get commenters poo-poo-ing it for having two wheels in the rear instead of two wheels in the front. Well, here you go, folks!
Designed with two front wheels for maximum stability, this trike keeps your cucumbers in check through every corner. Because trust me, you don’t want to hit a pothole and suddenly be juggling peaches like you’re in Cirque du Soleil: Farmers Market Edition.
To avoid the extra cost of designing a linked steering system for a pair of front wheels, the engineers who brought this salad shuttle to life simply side-stepped that complexity altogether by steering the entire fixed front end. I’ve got articulating electric tractors that steer like this, and so if it works for a several-ton work machine, it should work for a couple hundred pounds of cargo bike.
Featuring a giant cargo bed up front with four cascading fruit baskets set up for roadside sales, this cargo bike is something of a blank slate. Sure, you could monetize grandma’s vegetable garden, or you could fill it with your own ideas and concoctions. Our exceedingly talented graphics wizard sees it as the perfect coffee and pastry e-bike for my new startup, The Handlebarista, and I’m not one to argue. Basically, the sky is the limit with a blank slate bike like this!
Sure, the quality doesn’t quite match something like a fancy Tern cargo bike. The rim brakes aren’t exactly confidence-inspiring, but at least there are three of them. And if they should all give out, or just not quite slow you down enough to avoid that quickly approaching brick wall, then at least you’ve got a couple hundred pounds of tomatoes as a tasty crumple zone.
The electrical system does seem a bit underpowered. With a 36V battery and a 250W motor, I don’t know if one-third of a horsepower is enough to haul a full load to the local farmer’s market. But I guess if the weight is a bit much for the little motor, you could always do some snacking along the way. On the other hand, all the pictures seem to show a non-electric version. So if this cart is presumably mobile on pedal power alone, then that extra motor assist, however small, is going to feel like a very welcome guest.
The $950 price is presumably for the electric version, since that’s what’s in the title of the listing, though I wouldn’t get too excited just yet. I’ve bought a LOT of stuff on Alibaba, including many electric vehicles, and the too-good-to-be-true price is always exactly that. In my experience, you can multiply the Alibaba price by 3-4x to get the actual landed price for things like these. Even so, $3,000-$4,000 wouldn’t be a terrible price, considering a lot of electric trikes stateside already cost that much and don’t even come with a quad-set of vegetable baskets on board!
I should also put my normal caveat in here about not actually buying one of these. Please, please don’t try to buy one of these awesome cargo e-trikes. This is a silly, tongue-in-cheek weekend column where I scour the ever-entertaining underbelly of China’s massive e-commerce site Alibaba in search of fun, quirky, and just plain awesomely weird electric vehicles. While I’ve successfully bought several fun things on the platform, I’ve also gotten scammed more than once, so this is not for the timid or the tight-budgeted among us.
That isn’t to say that some of my more stubborn readers haven’t followed in my footsteps before, ignoring my advice and setting out on their own wild journey. But please don’t be the one who risks it all and gets nothing in return. Don’t say I didn’t warn you; this is the warning.
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