Australian businesses, researchers and investors are being urged to "turn their best innovative minds" to helping an electric car company produce the world's first truly climate-neutral vehicle.
Swedish automaker Polestar has kicked off a program that aims to launch production by 2030.
Called the Polestar 0 Project, it seeks to eliminate emissions from the entire supply chain including manufacturing, logistics and support functions rather than just planting trees to offset CO2 emissions.
"We are not just about changing the cars we drive, we are about changing the way vehicles are made," says Polestar Australia Managing Director Samantha Johnson.
"Vehicles are not produced sustainably today but by addressing the challenge of climate change through the supply chain we can be part of the solution."
Ms Johnson says Polestar is looking to Australia to help accelerate the shift to sustainable mobility.
"We know that Australia is home to some of the best innovative minds and businesses, manufacturing high-quality products that are competitive on the world stage," she said.
"The initiative will consider all manner of proposals from Australian entities whether currently available or in the early stages of development to secure a future CO2-free solution."
To help spread the message, Polestar will engage with the Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre, a national industry body for local manufacturers.
The centre's Managing Director Jens Goennemann says Polestar's call to industry to tackle emissions across the manufacturing chain is to be commended.
"Australian manufacturers have a long history of developing, commercialising and exporting high-quality and complex items," he said.
"This initiative gives Australian manufacturers a unique opportunity to get in at the ground floor into a global market and to be part of a bold collaborative program."
As part of Polestar 0, the company intends significantly revising what cars are made of and how.
The program will aim to eliminate CO2 emissions from every material, function and process.
Its leader Hans Pehrson says the car maker believes in the exponential development of climate solution technologies.
"For this project, we must tap into solutions that are still in the innovation stage," he said.
"Even more exciting is that the solutions we develop will not only benefit the automotive industry overall but help decarbonise manufacturing and society more widely as well.
"Wherever we look in the world we see materials like steel, aluminium, electronics and rubber.
"Imagine when we can make these materials climate-neutral to produce."
Groups interested in contributing to the project have been asked to make contact by March 23.
Earlier this month, saw the launch of Polestar 2 in Australia, a four-door electric sedan with a range of up to 540 kilometres.
