Polestar’s UK R&D centre will become a development hub for the ground-breaking Precept road car, as the firm presses ahead with a production car launch in 2025.
The electric car, confirmed for production last year, has been previewed by a grand tourer concept that was used as a showcase for the ambitions of Volvo’s sibling brand. It previews a number of innovative materials with sustainability a core theme: flax-based composites cut weight by up to 50% and achieve a reduction in plastic weight of up to 80%.
The Precept’s interior also uses materials such as recycled PET bottles, reclaimed fishing nets and recycled cork vinyl.
The team will “immediately focus on the development of the Precept”, looking into the challenging engineering solutions as the Swedish electric car manufacturer looks to upscale and mass produce the various sustainable materials used in the Precept.
The news comes at the same time as Polestar has announced a significant increase in the number of employees at it’s UK R&D centre at the MIRA Technology Park. Currently numbering 250, the workforce will double in the near future while working closely with the headquarters in Sweden.
This isn’t the first time that Polestar has expanded abroad. Along with a factory in Chengdu in China, the brand has also said that it will build the upcoming Polestar 3 SUV at Volvo’s factory in Ridgehill in South Carolina.
“Going electric is a pivotal moment in the history of cars,” says Thomas Ingenlath, CEO of Polestar. “The combination of British engineering talent and Swedish expertise will ensure our cars are among the highest performing and most sustainable on the road.”
Piers Ward
