Hexpol, Plasman join a ‘moonshot' for climate-neutral car production | Plastics News

2022-09-17 00:15:35 By : Mr. James Wang

Polestar, the electric performance car company that was created from Volvo's performance tuning division, has ambitious "moonshot" plans to make a climate-neutral automobile by 2030.

To make that happen, it has named a number of key partners for Polestar 0, including Hexpol TPE AB for materials and molder Plasman Group for bumper fascia.

The aim of the Polestar 0 project is to make a car that is truly climate-neutral — without using carbon credits or offsetting. The project aims to identify – and eliminate – all greenhouse gas emissions from the extraction of the raw materials used in in the car's construction, through delivery to the customer, while also taking into account end-of-life handling.

Polestar identified a range of partners on the project Sept. 14.

Hexpol TPE is based in Malmö, Sweden but the partnership with Gothenburg, Sweden-based Polestar will be based at Hexpol TPE's site in Ämål, Sweden.

Hexpol TPE will use its experience in thermoplastic elastomer and soft polymer compounds to research materials made with bio-based and recycled content. The project will also map supply chains to identify all root sources of emissions, and investigate logistics systems with zero CO2 emissions.

Plasman, based in Oldcastle, Ontario, will initially focus on "developing, sourcing and producing a truly climate neutral bumper." The research will allow the company to expand its work to other customers, executives said.

"The "Polestar 0 project" is fully in line with our climate neutral ... ambition, and it also highlights the importance of involving the entire supply chain, as we all need to collaborate across the value chain," said Niklas Berntsson, president for Europe, Plasman, in a news release.

Plasman is ranked at No. 27 for North American injection molders by Plastics News with an estimated $350 million in sales in the region.

Hans Pehrson, leader of the Polestar 0 project, said: "I'm looking forward to Hexpol TPE becoming a crucial part of our team as we find solutions for developing an entirely climate-neutral supply chain."

Hexpol will play an integral role in pioneering new and innovative technologies to achieve what has so far been impossible, he added.

"This is a very inspiring project to be part of," Thomas Nilsson, managing director of Hexpol TPE said. "It aligns with our work to enable a systems transformation in the polymer industry. To bring a true change, we need to collaborate on an unprecedented scale. We've already started the work and are excited to see where we go."

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