Nokian Tyres developing tyres for Polestar 0 project

The Polestar 0 project aims to create a climate-neutral car by 2030, eliminating all sources of CO2 emissions throughout the vehicle’s supply chain, manufacturing processes and end of life without offsetting them. Nokian Tyres has joined the project and is developing climate-neutral tyres for the car.

“This type of partnership is a perfect match when it comes to Nokian Tyres’ values, business and our ambitious work on sustainability,” says Teemu Soini, head of innovation and development at Nokian Tyres.

“The collaboration, research and results achieved will have broader benefits also outside this project, as new ways of decreasing the carbon footprints of different business activities will be created,” Soini continues. “Some of them may be available already before 2030 where the project goal is set. For example, the tyre innovations created during the Polestar 0 project will be utilised in Nokian Tyres’ products as soon as it is possible.”

Tackling the climate crisis

Nokian Tyres had already dipped its toe into Lake Sustainable Tyre prior to joining the Polestar 0 project. Last year it introduced the Nokian Tyres Green Step concept that contains 93 per cent recycled or renewable materials, and all passenger tyres in the current Nokian Tyres range are EV compatible.

Soini comments that “Nokian Tyres has shown sustainability leadership in the tyre industry before” and is “determined to do it again – this time by developing climate-neutral tyres.” He adds that “tackling the climate crisis takes innovation, creativity and collaboration across industries, and joining a groundbreaking project like Polestar 0 is exactly the type of challenge that we are eager to take on.”

“Nokian Tyres has done extensive work on reducing greenhouse gas emissions and creating energy-efficient, sustainable tyres,” says Hans Pehrson, head of the Polestar 0 project. “Their proven track record, experience and knowledge will be very valuable for us in the Polestar 0 project, when we together do research on eliminating greenhouse gas emissions. I look forward to cooperating with Nokian Tyres in developing the car of the future.”

Zero CO2 tyre factory opening in 2024

Nokian Tyres broke ground at the site of its new factory in Oradea, Romania earlier this year. The facility will be the world’s first zero CO2 emission tyre factory, and Nokian Tyres looks forward to it becoming an industry benchmark with a holistic approach to sustainability, including the use of solely green energy sources, energy-efficient and highly automated processes. In addition, Nokian Tyres aims for the factory to have the same zero waste to landfill standard from production as at its factories in Finland and in the USA. The plant in Romania should produce its first tyres next year, with commercial production commencing in 2025.

Polestar is a Swedish electric vehicle manufacturer founded by Volvo Cars and Geely Holding in 2017. The company is headquartered in Gothenburg, Sweden, and its cars are available online in 27 markets globally across North America, Europe and Asia Pacific.