The research of Polestar, the brand dedicated to Volvo’s sports and electrified bikes, continues to find innovative and sustainable materials. Following in the footsteps of the vegan interior featured as standard in the Polestar 2, Polestar identifies its next steps towards full-circle sustainability for its vehicles. Working with specialists in the field, the contemporary electric performance brand is aiming to reduce weight, cut plastic content and lessen waste material with innovative 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. Bcomp’s revolutionary powerRibsTM and ampliTexTM technologies could turn natural fibres into lightweight and safety-conscious interior panels for future production models within the Polestar range.
The composite utilises flax, which differs from many bio-materials as it is both ideal for use in crop rotation programmes and does not directly compete with food crops. With up to 50% reduction in overall weight and an 80% reduction in plastic content compared to traditional interior panels, Bcomp enables a significant weight saving by being not only stronger but also lighter than traditional plastics used in car interiors. “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.”
