'Fatalistic' Europe hands over control of electric car production to China, Polestar boss warns

Mr. Ingenlath says he is shocked by the absence of the 'let's make and develop' idea on the continent. Photo: Polestar

European negative reports China's control of the electric car industry, Swedish automaker Polestar has warned.

Thomas Ingenlath, chief executive of Polestar, said Europe has adopted a «fatalistic» attitude towards electric car production, adding: «I'm always a little frustrated with the way Europe usually so quick to say, «Oh, there's a big problem finding the materials we need for electrification.»

«It's always amazed me how few let's make and develop ideas exist.»

< p>China has more than 100 gigafactories producing batteries for electric vehicles and other uses, while Europe and the US have a handful each, limiting domestic efforts to ramp up production. Polestar vehicles are currently being built for sale in China.

Mr Ingenlath, speaking at the firm's research center near Nuneaton, warned that the infrastructure to supply the factories with minerals is also needed in Europe.

However, he said the region could catch up by building factories, supply chains such as refineries and even mines, as China did.

Record exports in 2004

Mining and processing lithium, a critical part of the battery, it's «a tedious and sometimes not very clean process, but guess what, you can make it clean with modern techniques,» Mr. Ingenlath said. He added that European competitors should be inspired by the growth in battery production in South Korea.

“Chinese and South Korean companies are coming and building factories here in Europe. Of course, you can produce battery cells here in Europe… European companies, you can go and organize your own mining and procurement. they would present customers today with an internal combustion engine that emits pollution into the surrounding air.

“People will laugh at you, they will think you are crazy? Are you crazy to put a thing like that in a car?»

Polestar has increased its presence in the UK to 500 engineers, many of whom are working on their latest Polestar 5, a grand tourer that will arrive in sale in 2025.

He praised the UK's pedigree in luxury and performance cars, which helped the company develop its latest luxury model, adding: production.”

The company built and tested its first prototypes in UK.