從碳排到人權，Polestar 的全透明永續之路

我們常聽到「電動車更環保」，但它們究竟環保到什麼程度？這個問題，其實比想像中複雜得多。在鋰電池、大鋁件與全球供應鏈組成的車體背後，電動車的碳足跡其實從「誕生那一刻」就開始累積了。如今，Polestar 這家由 Volvo 分拆、總部設於瑞典的電動車品牌，決定揭開這個產業的黑盒子，不只告訴你它的車用了多少再生能源，更精算每一輛車在出廠前的「碳帳本」。

We often hear that “electric vehicles are more eco-friendly,” but to what extent are they really sustainable? The answer is more complicated than we might think. Behind the lithium batteries, aluminum parts, and global supply chains, the carbon footprint of electric vehicles begins accumulating the moment they are born. Now, Polestar, a Swedish electric vehicle brand spun off from Volvo, has decided to unveil the “black box” of the industry. Not only is the company revealing how much renewable energy powers its cars, but it’s also calculating the “carbon footprint” of each vehicle before it even leaves the factory.

2024 年 Polestar 公布的永續報告，揭示了品牌旗下三款車型——Polestar 2、3 與 4 ——從原物料採購、生產、電池製造到運輸階段的「搖籃到工廠大門」碳排放數據。自 2020 年以來，每輛車平均碳排放減少了 24.7%。這不是靠減產，而是靠重新設計整條供應鏈。

In its 2024 sustainability report, Polestar shared the carbon emission data of its three models - Polestar 2, 3, and 4 - from raw material sourcing, production, battery manufacturing, to transportation, following the “cradle-to-gate” lifecycle. Since 2020, the average carbon emissions per vehicle have decreased by 24.7%. This reduction was not achieved by cutting production but by redesigning the entire supply chain.

電動車真的比油車環保嗎？Polestar 做了精算比較

Polestar 永續負責人 Fredrika Klarén 不諱言，最初推出 Polestar 2 時，他們才真正搞清楚自己的碳排放來自哪裡——電池製程、鋁材、鋼鐵，一個都不能少。

根據他們的模型計算，Polestar 2 的出廠碳排為 23.1 噸 CO₂e，Polestar 4 進一步壓低至 21.4 噸。而傳統汽油車呢？以 Volvo XC40 為例，雖然製造階段碳排僅 14 噸，看似比電動車低，但別忘了油車還要一路燒油——其生命週期碳排總量將高達 58 噸 CO₂e，遠高於電動車即使採全球平均電力的總碳足跡（約 46 噸）。

Are Electric Vehicles Really More Eco-Friendly Than Gas Cars? Polestar Makes a Comparison

Polestar’s Head of Sustainability, Fredrika Klarén, openly admitted that when they first launched the Polestar 2, they didn’t fully understand where their carbon emissions were coming from - whether it was the battery manufacturing, aluminum, or steel.

According to their model calculations, the carbon emissions from producing a Polestar 2 were 23.1 tons of CO₂e, while the Polestar 4 further reduced this to 21.4 tons. In comparison, a traditional gasoline car, such as the Volvo XC40, produces 14 tons of emissions during manufacturing, which seems lower. However, gasoline cars still burn fuel throughout their lifetime - meaning their total lifecycle emissions reach 58 tons of CO₂e, far higher than the total carbon footprint of an electric vehicle (which is about 46 tons, even with average global electricity).

若電動車採用風電等再生能源充電，其整車碳排甚至可壓低至 26 噸 CO₂e，只有燃油車的一半不到。

Fredrika Klarén 一語道破關鍵：「燃油車的使用階段碳排，永遠無法歸零；電動車可以。」

電池越大碳排越高，那 SUV 就不永續嗎？

不過，永續並不等於「越小越好」。Polestar 也很清楚，消費市場對 SUV 有著堅定的偏好，特別是在續航焦慮未解的年代。以 Polestar 3 為例，因其配備 111kWh 大電池，製造碳排來到 24.9 噸 CO₂e，為目前品牌內最高。

這是否代表 SUV 就不該存在？Polestar 的回答很清楚——「重點不是產品的尺寸，而是它如何被生產」。

Klarén 更批評過去「永續產品要小、無趣、有點癢、最好是米色」的刻板印象，她認為：「真正的永續，應該讓消費者在所有類型中都有選擇，不論是轎車還是 SUV。」

這也讓我們回到一個根本問題：要解決氣候變遷，我們要改變產品，還是改變整條供應鏈？

If the electric vehicle is charged using renewable energy, such as wind power, the total carbon emissions can drop to as low as 26 tons of CO₂e - less than half that of a gasoline car.

Fredrika Klarén pointed out the key difference:

“The emissions from a gasoline car’s use phase can never reach zero. But with an electric vehicle, they can.”

Larger Batteries Mean Higher Emissions - Does That Make SUVs Unsustainable?

However, sustainability doesn’t always mean “the smaller, the better.” Polestar is well aware of the strong consumer preference for SUVs, especially in the age of range anxiety. Take the Polestar 3, for instance. With its 111 kWh large battery, its manufacturing emissions come to 24.9 tons of CO₂e, the highest in Polestar’s lineup.

Does this mean SUVs shouldn’t exist? Polestar’s answer is clear:

“The focus is not on the size of the product, but on how it is produced.”

Klarén also criticized the stereotype that sustainable products must be small, dull, and beige. She believes,

“True sustainability should offer consumers choices across all types of vehicles, whether sedan or SUV.”

This brings us to a fundamental question: Should we change the products themselves, or should we transform the entire supply chain to address climate change?

碳足跡之外，還有「人權足跡」

這份永續報告還多做了一件事：Polestar 對供應鏈中高風險原料的來源，進行逐年擴大的追蹤，包括鈷、鋰、鎳、稀土元素等，皆有第三方稽核追溯。最新的 Polestar 4 已有 51% 材料來自可追溯、合規來源。

這代表 Polestar 不只關心「這些材料從哪裡來」，也關心「他們是怎麼被開採的、是否涉及童工或勞動剝削」。在 ESG 時代，這種「看不到的永續」其實比能見的碳標籤還重要。

永續車要「好用、好看、也要做得乾淨」

Polestar 的策略是勇敢，也是一次賭注：在電動車產業尚未成熟，政策變數與市場價格競爭壓力巨大之際，選擇公開數據、坦承不足、承諾改進，這樣的品牌願景本身，就是一種競爭力。

更值得注意的是，Polestar 的永續標準將不因生產地改變而打折。即使目前在中國生產，也透過購買綠電憑證與監管機制，確保工廠使用的再生電力符合承諾。未來，品牌還將生產拓展至美國、韓國與歐洲，挑戰全球標準一致性的能力。

Beyond Carbon Footprint - The “Human Rights Footprint”

Polestar’s sustainability report does one more thing: it tracks the source of high-risk raw materials in its supply chain, including cobalt, lithium, nickel, and rare earth elements, with third-party auditing and traceability. The latest Polestar 4 features 51% of materials from traceable and compliant sources.

This means Polestar isn’t just concerned about “where these materials come from” but also about “how they are extracted and whether child labor or labor exploitation is involved.” In the era of ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance), this kind of “invisible sustainability” is even more important than visible carbon labels.

A Sustainable Vehicle Must Be "Functional, Attractive, and Made Cleanly"

Polestar’s strategy is bold and risky: in an industry that’s still maturing, with enormous policy uncertainties and competitive market pressures, the company has chosen to open up its data, admit shortcomings, and commit to improvements. This brand vision itself is a form of competitiveness.

透明、誠實、科技感——這或許才是電動車產業真正需要的「三電系統」。

在 ESG 投資人、消費者與政策制定者的期待之下，「誰能做出最永續的電動車」這場賽局才剛開始。而 Polestar 選擇不再只說「我很環保」，而是直接攤開數據、攤開流程、攤開供應鏈——這種赤裸，反而讓人信服。

What’s more, Polestar’s sustainability standards won’t be compromised based on where the cars are produced. Even though production is currently in China, the company ensures its factories use renewable electricity by purchasing green power certificates and implementing regulatory mechanisms to meet its commitments. In the future, the brand plans to expand production to the U.S., South Korea, and Europe, challenging global consistency in sustainability standards.

Transparency, honesty, and a technological edge - these might just be the “three systems” that the electric vehicle industry really needs.

有趣的是，Polestar 並未宣稱自己已達到完美，反而不斷重申：「還在努力」。而這樣的謙遜與透明，或許正是永續時代最有價值的品牌資產。

Under the expectations of ESG investors, consumers, and policymakers, the race to produce the “most sustainable electric vehicle” is just beginning. Polestar has chosen to stop saying, “We are eco-friendly” and instead opens up its data, processes, and supply chains. This transparency is what makes them believable.

Are Electric Vehicles Really More Sustainable? Polestar Does the Math

Interestingly, Polestar does not claim to have reached perfection. Instead, they repeatedly emphasize:

“We’re still working on it.” This humility and transparency might just be the most valuable brand asset in the age of sustainability.