Tun Mahathir tests Polestar 2; says EVs aren't truly zero emission and to consider hydrogen cars

In a Facebook post by Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, he mentioned that DRB-Hicom has introduced him to the Polestar 2 EV, a car that’s worked on by Geely which is Proton’s partner.

He praised the Polestar 2’s practicality and storage solutions due to the lack of a combustion engine. “In my opinion, this car’s design is advanced. It doesn't have a large engine, instead it is used as a storage compartment.

Also read: First Polestar 2 in Malaysia, 470 km range and below RM500k price?

“The interior design features are also neat and futuristic, where all controls and settings can be made with the touch of a 'tablet'. No more switches or buttons on the dashboard like a regular car,” said Mahathir.

However, he did raise some concerns on the emissions of EVs. The former prime minister commented that although EVs have zero emission, the power stations supplying the electricity still do, and that EVs have to reach a point where they are truly zero emission.

Also read: Are electric vehicles (EV) truly cleaner than combustion-engine cars?

He added that perhaps this is why we may have to consider hydrogen-powered vehicles but acknowledge that hydrogen comes with its own sets of challenges. In the meantime, battery EVs are still the preferred choice for green cities.

Tun Mahathir concluded the post by saying that he hopes Proton is able to tackle a project like this and at some point, Proton will be able to produce its own EV.

The Polestar 2 is available in front- or all-wheel drive (single or dual motors), with outputs of either 231 PS/330 Nm or 408 PS/660 Nm. It gets either a 69-kWh or 78-kWh battery with WLTP range from 473 km to 540 km. DC fast charging is rated at 130 kW or 150 kW while AC charging is at 11 kW.

Photo credit: FB@TunDrMahathir

Also read: BMW says betting everything on batteries is a bad idea, echoes Toyota's believe in hydrogen fuel cells