Polestar’s 2020 electric vehicle concept car is to go into mass production in a carbon-neutral factory in China, according to the electric vehicle firm.
The Polestar Precept made its debut earlier this year as a concept car with an emphasis on sustainability and cutting-edge tech instead of traditional performance figures and specifications.
The Geely-owned Volvo subsidiary intended to showcase the Precept at the Geneva Motor Show in March, except it was cancelled due to Covid-19.
Concept cars are created to provide some insight into the manufacturer’s plans for their brands. The once-off cars are essentially fantasy fabrications, never destined for mass production.
The Precept is a “manifesto of things to come”, said Thomas Ingenlath, Polestar CEO. The vehicle is said to showcase the group’s commitment to lowering the environmental impact of its motor vehicles. By doing this, the group also aims to prove its relevance in a global market that is leaving fossil fuels in the past.
Inside the Precept’s cabin, the panels and seatbacks are constructed from a “flax-based composite”. This new-age textile results in an 80% plastic reduction and a 50% weight reduction, said Polestar. The seats are made out of plastic bottles. Each seat is 3D knitted from recycled polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles, while the seat’s headrests and carpets are made from repurposed cork vinyl and fishing nets.
The electric vehicle will be embedded with Android Automotive OS – an embedded infotainment system and a hub for vehicle settings like mirrors and seats. According to digital media outlet, The Verge, Google has optimised the system over the last three years. The in-car assistant will be able to recognise the driver upon approaching the vehicle, differentiate accents, and have more natural conversations. Video-streaming would become a bigger part of the in-car experience, said Polestar.
Polestar and its parent company, Volvo, were bought by Geely in 2010. In the past decade, the Hangzhou-based firm has reinvented the Polestar brand from the high-performance arm of the Volvo brand to an EV trailblazer.
Performance specifications and pricing for the Precept are still unknown but Ingenlath said the vehicle would be made with climate neutrality in mind.
https://www.theverge.com/2020/9/26/21455850/polestar-precept-electric-car-concept-android-production
https://www.topgear.com/car-news/electric/polestar-precept-really-cares-about-environment
