Polestar, a luxury electric vehicle (EV) manufacturer, is standing out from its competitors by emphasizing transparency in its manufacturing and operations. The company provides data reports on its website to address customer inquiries about sustainability. To track the components used in its vehicles and measure carbon emissions throughout the supply chain, Polestar partnered with London-based firm Circulor, which utilizes a blockchain-based system.
Circulor’s system traces raw materials, such as cobalt, lithium, nickel, and mica, back to their origins, including potentially revealing human rights and environmental issues associated with mining in certain countries. The data is stored securely on an Oracle Hyperledger-based private blockchain and is confidential to ensure transparency without compromising sensitive information.
Polestar’s website displays “Product Sustainability Declarations” that highlight potential risks in the supply chain and confirm that the company only sources materials from compliant suppliers. However, the specific suppliers are not named or categorized. In contrast, Tesla’s Impact Report provides more detailed information about mineral sourcing and supplier compliance testing.
Polestar also provides “Life Cycle Assessments” that compute the carbon footprint of individual EVs and determine the breakeven point when the vehicle’s lower energy consumption offsets the higher carbon intensity of manufacturing.
Government regulations, such as the European Union’s battery regulations requiring greater supply chain transparency, have made transparency an industry standard. Polestar and Circulor have been proactive in implementing transparency practices, well ahead of regulatory requirements.
In conclusion, Polestar’s use of data reports and transparency initiatives sets it apart in the EV market. By partnering with Circulor and leveraging blockchain technology, Polestar demonstrates its commitment to sustainability and responsible manufacturing practices.
Source: PCMag (No URL provided)