Polestar launches new campaign to break up our 'toxic relationship' with gasoline

If you find yourself walking through New York City this week and see a poster asking if you're a "Dinosaur juice addict," don't be alarmed. It's not a new public health crisis, but rather a bold new campaign from electric car maker Polestar. The company is taking an unusual approach to promote electric vehicles by framing the public's long-standing connection with gasoline cars as a "toxic relationship."

As part of its activities during Climate Week NYC, which began September 22, Polestar has plastered the city with provocative messages. They are designed to make people think twice about their gas-powered vehicles.

Some posters even encourage people to call a special hotline if they suspect they have a toxic relationship with gasoline. Callers to the number don't get a therapist, but they do get a series of pre-recorded messages offering facts about fossil fuels and suggesting a healthier alternative: electric cars.

The campaign is intentionally disruptive, designed to cut through the noise in a city where, on any given day, over half a million cars pour into central Manhattan alone. Polestar argues that the negative effects of this dependency are clear, from poor air quality to constant noise. By using the language of unhealthy personal relationships, the company hopes to create an emotional connection with consumers and highlight the downsides of sticking with an outdated technology.

According to Fredrika Klarén, Polestar's Head of Sustainability, the timing is critical. "As many traditional car companies are back-tracking on their climate promises, we are doing the opposite," she stated. Klarén, who is also a featured speaker at a Climate Week NYC panel, stressed that Polestar remains fully committed to a future with zero emissions. The company sees this campaign as a necessary nudge to accelerate the transition away from the internal combustion engine, calling it an urgent need for the industry to do its part in addressing climate change.

The numbers behind the campaign paint a disturbing picture of the problem Polestar is trying to address. Global road transport is responsible for over 15% of all energy-related emissions, with private cars and vans alone consuming more than a quarter of all oil used worldwide. The momentum for EVs might be growing, but the transition is still slow.

Citing a July 2025 study from the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT), the company notes that a battery electric car produces approximately 73% less carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) emissions over its entire lifetime compared to a similar gasoline car. This calculation assumes the EV is charged using the projected average European electricity mix between 2025 and 2044.

For Polestar, the path forward is not just about producing electric cars, but also about making the entire process more sustainable. The company is actively working on its Polestar 0 project, an ambitious goal to create a completely climate-neutral car by 2030 without relying on carbon offsets.

To prove its commitment extends beyond marketing campaigns, the company points to its upcoming models. The Polestar 5, a high-performance grand tourer, is being built with a focus on sustainable materials. The car's structure will reportedly use aluminum produced in smelters that run on renewable electricity, alongside a significant percentage of recycled aluminum.

Through this campaign and its own manufacturing goals, Polestar is sending a clear message. As Klarén put it, the company plans to "challenge industry, policymakers and consumers to move beyond outdated technologies and accelerate the shift to clean mobility."

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