Biomaterials innovator MycoWorks and its previous investor, General Motors, partnered to co-develop mycelium materials tailored for car interiors in 2022.
Two years later, the companies introduced what they claim to be the first automobile to incorporate a mycelium bio-based material as an alternative to plastic and leather.
The automobile, Cadillac’s latest concept EV SOLLEI, features MycoWorks’ Fine Mycelium in an iridescent version in the charging mats on the console and door map pockets, showcasing its versatility in sustainable automotive design.
As Cadillac’s design director Erin Crossley stated, the new concept aims to redefine travel and material usage with an optimistic, celestial-inspired design. “The SOLLEI concept cultivates the vision for limitless expression and artful integration between travel and leisure,” he added.
Pioneering mycelium materials
MycoWorks, founded in 2013 by Philip Ross and Sophia Wang, is headquartered in San Francisco. The company specializes in creating innovative mycelium-grown materials, which are said to offer the strength, durability, and hand feel of the finest animal leather but with a lower environmental impact.
Since introducing its flagship material, Reishi, in 2020, MycoWorks has partnered with luxury brands, including hatmaker Nick Fouquet, Hermès, Ligne Roset, and GM, as explained above.
MycoWorks, which has raised $225 million to date, including $125 million in 2022, according to Tracxn, opened its first commercial-scale plant in South Carolina last year to produce Reishi using its patented Fine Mycelium technology.
According to the Californian company, Fine Mycelium offers unprecedented control over the supply chain of natural materials, allowing for bespoke, high-standard production, to meet increased demand and continue developing new materials.
“MycoWorks is grateful to be working with General Motors on co-developing a pioneering new category of mycelium materials with Fine Mycelium, said CEO, Matthew Scullin.
“MycoWorks’ collaboration with Cadillac and General Motors is the first in the automotive industry, demonstrating the enormous potential of Fine Mycelium™ in sustainable mobility and what it means for the future of clean, responsible automotive design,” he added.
The companies unveiled the new EV at Cadillac House at Vanderbilt in Warren, Michigan.
