When it comes to lowering the carbon impact of the automotive industry, electric vehicles tend to get all the attention. But several years ago, when Polestar set out to create the Polestar 3, the company took a comprehensive approach to creating a vehicle that was as luxurious as it was responsible.
“Driving an EV is one step toward a sustainable future, but you must also take the whole production process into account to get a fully sustainable journey,” said Maria Uggla, Polestar’s head of C&M design, in a recent conversation with the ECONYL® Brand.
Soon, that end goal led the company to embrace ECONYL® nylon, striking up a pairing that would help Polestar become a leader in responsible automotive design.
Polestar’s pursuit of the ‘best materials’
Based in Gothenburg, Sweden, Polestar was already a leader in electric vehicle performance, paired with the company’s signature minimalist design. But as it moved forward, the company wanted to work toward a truly circular approach to automotive.
“Responsible design means that we take all different sustainability aspects into account when designing, engineering and producing a vehicle,” Uggla said. “We need to ask ourselves: What are the best materials to use that have the lowest emissions when produced? What are the best materials to use that can be put into a circular loop where the material is used over and over again?”
As Polestar set out to mix luxury with sustainability, a supplier pointed them toward ECONYL® regenerated nylon.
Made entirely from nylon waste, ECONYL® regenerated nylon is an innovative material driving environmental responsibility in design. Through a regeneration process, waste is transformed into ECONYL® nylon providing the same quality and performance as standard nylon.
Collaborating to help Polestar build the Polestar 3 and 4
Making responsible choices in automotive is no longer an option—it’s a necessity.
Polestar used ECONYL® nylon in the line mats, inlay mats, and trunk of the Polestar 3. That choice is in line with how Polestar views the evolving nature of today’s consumers, who realize that the most desirable choice can also be the best choice for environmental impact.
“We as a new modern luxury EV company incorporate new innovative materials and reflect a well-thought-out approach through novel aesthetics,” Uggla said. “In today’s society, high-end products are not luxurious if they don’t take sustainability into account.”
Polestar 3 and 4 models each incorporate this idea of circularity, with ECONYL® nylon featured prominently.
Toward a more responsible industry
For Uggla and Polestar, designing responsibly doesn’t mean spurning aesthetics. Cool, modern products can be born of processes and materials that take the entire life cycle into account.
“Moving into a decarbonized society with a circular economy will completely change the way we design and develop vehicles,” Uggla said. “We need to consider what sources of raw materials to use, how to achieve circularity by also designing things that can be re-used and recycled.”
As it did with Polestar, ECONYL® nylon continues to enable auto-makers in lowering their reliance on virgin plastics. ECONYL® yarn can be used for automotive carpets, seat covers, platforms, trunks, and ceilings, while ECONYL hardware can be used for air vents, engine covers, and parts under the hood. The materials are more durable than other polymers, abrasion resistant, and recyclable an infinite number of times.
Learn more: https://econyl.aquafil.com/application-areas/automotive/
