Polestar has urged the European Commission (EC) not to roll back on its commitment to ban the sale of non-electric cars by 2035 ahead of crunch talks this Friday.
Automotive industry leaders will meet EC president Ursula von der Leyen on Friday to try to secure a relaxation of the CO2 rules, and only Polestar and sibling Volvo have taken the opposite view to keep the status quo.
Polestar CEO Michael Lohscheller said discussions on going all-electric had been completed and the decision already made, and reversing that was now "completely the wrong way" to go about things, particularly so given that even those looking to have the ban relaxed agreed "the future of mobility is without emissions".
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Polestar Stands Firm: Don’t Backtrack on Europe’s 2035 EV Commitment
Pressure is mounting in Brussels. Polestar has planted its flag and refuses to budge. The European Commission scheduled critical talks for Friday to review the ban on new non-electric car sales set for 2035. Most automakers are scrambling to soften the rules. Polestar, backed by Volvo, wants to hold the line.
Michael Lohscheller, the man steering Polestar, cut through the noise. He said the all-electric debate finished long ago. Policy makers already made the choice. Hitting reverse now sends the industry the wrong message. Lohscheller called out the irony broiling in the meeting halls. Even groups begging for softer regulation admit that zero-emission mobility needs to be the endgame.
Expect drama at the EC meeting. Old-guard executives will stack climate costs and supply chain headaches against green targets. Polestar refuses to join the chorus. Leadership at Polestar sees a clear path forward. They say pulling back now only creates confusion, hesitance, and a delayed future where clean transport finally becomes normal everywhere.
Europe’s 2035 mandate looms large. Volvo stands shoulder to shoulder with Polestar. They both refuse to let shifting winds blow real climate progress off course. These brands urge lawmakers to keep their eyes on what matters—the air, the cities, and the next generation who expect more than empty promises when it comes to cleaner cars.
