Stora Enso and Swedish electric car company Polestar have started collaboration to create a truly climate-neutral car by 2030. Stora Enso joins Polestar 0 project as a partner to contribute to the car’s climate neutrality with their bio-based battery material Lignode® by Stora Enso, made from trees.

The Polestar 0 project, launched in 2021, aims to create a climate neutral car by 2030 by eliminating all sources of CO2 emissions – not only offsetting them – throughout the supply chain and production. Reaching full climate neutrality throughout the value chain, however, is a challenge for such a complex product as a car. Stora Enso takes on the challenge to contribute to the car battery’s climate neutrality with its bio-based battery anode material, Lignode® by Stora Enso, with the aim to become a commercial supplier for the outcome of the Polestar 0 project.

Graphitic carbon in car batteries today is either mined or made from fossil-based materials. Lignode® by Stora Enso is made of lignin which comes from sustainably managed Nordic trees that grow back once harvested. It is essential to revolutionise battery technology to sustainably cover the needs for energy storage in an electrified future. Stora Enso believes that the key to combating climate change involves the use of renewable materials.

“As the renewable materials company, it is our core business to offer solutions to sustainability challenges. To balance staying within planetary boundaries and securing economic and social progress, the world - and our customers - need a transformation away from fossil dependency and linear economy. To make a true change, we need to collaborate. We are extremely happy to start working with Polestar on this inspiring and important journey to create a climate neutral car. In the future, we can explore possibilities for further collaboration with our portfolio of renewable materials,” says Johanna Hagelberg, Executive Vice President, Biomaterials division at Stora Enso.

“We are pleased to welcome Stora Enso as a partner in the Polestar 0 project. Their expertise and knowledge in biomaterials and commitment to sustainability have the potential to bring valuable solutions to the automotive industry. Moving away from fossil raw materials and towards biomaterials is important for reaching climate neutrality, and this partnership is a step in the right direction,” says Hans Pehrson, Head of the Polestar 0 Project.

About Stora Enso

Part of the global bioeconomy, Stora Enso is a leading provider of renewable products in packaging, biomaterials, wooden construction and paper, and one of the largest private forest owners in the world. We believe that everything that is made from fossil-based materials today can be made from a tree tomorrow. Stora Enso has approximately 22,000 employees and our sales in 2021 were EUR 10.2 billion. Stora Enso shares are listed on Nasdaq Helsinki Oy (STEAV, STERV) and Nasdaq Stockholm AB (STE A, STE R). In addition, the shares are traded in the USA as ADRs (SEOAY).

About Polestar
Polestar Automotive Holding UK PLC (Nasdaq: PSNY) (“Polestar”) is a Swedish premium electric vehicle manufacturer. Founded by Volvo Car AB (publ.) (together with its subsidiaries, “Volvo Cars”) and Zhejiang Geely Holding Group Co., Ltd (“Geely”), in 2017, Polestar enjoys specific technological and engineering synergies with Volvo Cars and benefits from significant economies of scale as a result. Polestar is headquartered in Gothenburg, Sweden, and its vehicles are currently available and on the road in markets across Europe, North America, China and Asia Pacific.

About the Polestar 0 project
The Polestar 0 project is Polestar's moon-shot goal of creating the first truly climate neutral car by 2030. The Polestar 0 project aims to cut carbon emissions by changing the way that cars are made. The approach will encompass collaboration across the entire development process and value chain, from suppliers to retailers.