Polestar: EV adoption is a responsibility not a privilege for the wealthy

Electric vehicles are the key to reducing automotive CO2 emissions in Australia and there’s one group in particular that needs to step up, says Polestar.

Speaking with media in Sydney this week, the Chinese-Swedish electric vehicle brand’s Head of Sustainability, Fredrika Klaren, said the argument that most Australians can’t afford to make the switch from internal combustion engines (ICE) to electric power is no longer relevant and the onus firmly lies on the wealthy to ‘invest’ in EVs.

“People with money need to finance this change [from ICE to EVs]. They need to be early adopters, they need to invest in this so that it can be scaled and delivered to many people,” says Klaren.

“I see it more of a responsibility than a privilege.”

Despite mounting economic pressure amid the rising cost of living for many Aussies, Klaren says there’s plenty of money Down Under and the conversation around EV affordability needs to change.

“Why do we always focus on that in the conversation? Australia has more millionaires than any other country. You have money. There’s a lot of money here. I mean in the world there are a lot of people that can afford to make this transition.”

The cheapest EVs available in Australia so far are both small Chinese electric SUVs like the MG ZS EV (from $44,990 drive-away) and BYD Atto 3 (from $48,011 plus on-road costs), but most EVs – including those from Tesla and even Hyundai and Kia – are priced from above $65,000.

While range anxiety and lack of charging infrastructure remain other key barriers to the uptake of EVs especially in Australia, Klaren doesn’t subscribe to the notion that EVs are unattainable for all and says sometimes the larger hurdle for consumers is the change in routine.

The former IKEA sustainability expert, who says there’s no place for combustion cars beyond 2030 if car-makers are to help prevent climate change, also says making more environmentally conscious decisions is an important influence on younger generations.

“[Buyers] are so empowered by [EVs] if they would only see that. I do think the dissonance between what they are hearing from scientists and especially kids in school, what they’re hearing from teachers about climate change, and what they are seeing in terms of action is creating anxiety and paralysis; kids today have more and more anxiety, for obvious reasons,” said Klaren.

“I think that’s because they’re seeing and hearing that we have this huge crisis, but they’re not seeing that their parents are changing. Their parents are not switching to EV technologies so there’s this dissonance.”

When asked whether the Geely-owned EV-maker had plans to offer more affordable options for the masses – beyond its current $63,900 starting price – Klaren reiterated Polestar’s position as a premium vehicle manufacturer.

Polestar has already ruled out a smaller and cheaper model than the Polestar 2, which will be followed by the Polestar 3 large SUV priced from around $135,000, the Polestar 4 mid-size SUV, the Polestar 5 sports sedan and, by 2026, the Polestar 6 electric sports car, which will cost about $300,000.