automotive

BMW Mini leather-free

© BMW/Mini
Materials

PETA Survey Finds Significant Increase in Brands Offering Vegan Car Interiors

A survey by animal rights charity PETA has found a considerable increase in brands offering vegan car interiors worldwide. PETA contacted the most popular car brands in the biggest global markets to find out whether they offer interiors free of animal-derived materials such as leather and wool. Cabin surfaces, seats, trim, and steering wheels were all taken into account. Mercedes-Benz and BMW confirmed that they now offer several models with vegan interiors; the latter recently announced that the 5 Series Touring would feature seat surfaces made from an innovative leather alternative called Veganza. Fiat also offers animal-free interiors, as does Volkswagen for several of its models available on the German market. Volvo, Citroën, Dacia, Peugeot, Renault, smart, and Polestar all offer vegan interior options either …

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Ford Mustang Mach-E

©Ford
Manufacturing & Technology

Top 25 Vegan-Friendly Car Manufacturers in 2023

Car dealership Dick Lovett recently compiled an updated review, correct of January 2023, demonstrating which global car manufacturers currently offer the highest number of vegan-friendly cars, analysing data from PETA and car manufacturers worldwide. Aside from the manufacturers mentioned in this particular study, vegconomist has also recently reported on notable developments coming from Liux for its electric vehicle; Ultrafabrics’ new partnership with India’s Tata Motors; and last September’s news that all BMW and MINI cars will have fully vegan interiors from 2023. Additionally, it was reported last May by The Vegan Society that 75% of UK consumers want to see the removal of animal products from vehicles and that 70% are actively looking at purchasing an animal-free vehicle.  The Dick Lovett study is based on …

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Tesla Plaid S in grey tune-up with vegan red leather seats

Courtesy of von Holzhausen
Leather Alternatives

von Holzhausen’s Vegan Bamboo Leather Upgrades Tesla Interior

High-tech plant-based material company von Holzhausen and Unplugged Performance, a Tesla-specialist tuning shop, are partnering on a unique Tesla Plaid S tune-up that will showcase at the Petersen Automotive Museum in California.  Both companies work in Los Angeles, upgrading Tesla’s vehicles to improve their performance and features. von Holzhausen replaces the leather and plastic materials used for the car’s interiors with its negative carbon fabrics made from plants.  For this Tesla Plaid S tune-up, the seating upholstery and other interior elements will feature von Holzhausen’s Banbū Leather in “an exclusive rich red shade called Serrano, inspired by speed with a classic automotive appeal.”  Luxury without compromise  Crafted from bamboo, von Holzhausen’s animal and petroleum-free leather shifts the automotive industry’s favoritism for animal leather to guilt-free, sustainable luxury …

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Ananas Anam Piñatex

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Materials

Ananas Anam Partners With FORVIA for Pineapple-Based Automotive Interiors

Ananas Anam has announced a collaboration with automotive technology leader FORVIA to develop vehicle interior materials made from waste pineapple leaf fibres. The two companies have formed a Joint Development Agreement, with Ananas Anam contributing its knowledge of developing eco-friendly pineapple-based materials and FORVIA bringing its expertise in automotive technology. The news comes as the latter company launches MATERI’ACT, a new unit with the purpose of developing sustainable materials. Sustainable car interiors At the beginning of 2022, sustainability was described as a key trend in the automotive industry. It was recently reported that all BMW and Mini cars will have fully vegan interiors from next year, while a study in May found that 70% of drivers would be interested in purchasing an animal-free car. A …

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MycoWorks Raises $125 Million to Mass Produce Mushroom Leather

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Materials

MycoWorks and General Motors Collaborate to Develop Materials for Automotive Design

MycoWorks and General Motors have announced a partnership to co-develop Fine Mycelium™ materials for use in automotive design. As part of the collaboration, General Motors’ investment arm GM Ventures will provide funding to MycoWorks. Fine Mycelium technology uses the root structure of mushrooms to develop natural, sustainable, and customisable leather alternatives. According to MycoWorks, these match the performance of animal leather, providing high strength at low thicknesses. This is MycoWorks’ first entry into the automotive space. It is hoped that the leather alternatives could eventually support GM’s goal of achieving zero emissions. Fashion collaborations MycoWorks’ previous collaborations have all been focused on the fashion industry. Earlier this year, the company partnered with hatmaker Nick Fouquet for a collection of hats made with its flagship Reishi …

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vegan leather interior porsche and colourful design by sean wotherspoon

© Porsche
Leather Alternatives

Streetwear Artist Sean Wotherspoon Designs Vegan Porsche

Porsche and streetwear designer Sean Wotherspoon recently collaborated on a unique design for Porsche’s Taycan 4 Cross Turismo featuring vegan leather for the seats and doors and carpets made with repurposed fishing nets. The result is an attention-grabbing multicolour Taycan that displays Wotherspoon‘s characteristic vibrant, colour palette and also reveals the designer’s preference for sustainable materials and alternative leathers. Wotherspoon, known for his vibrant rainbow designs and collectable vegan trainers, the most famous being his Nike Air Max 97/1, was commissioned by the German automobile manufacturer to take his view on the Taycan. Porsche has tested vegan interiors before and, not long ago, announced that its Taycan model would be available in a vegan version using a textile from recycled polyester. Inspiration Wotherspoon traveled to Weissach, …

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BMW Mini leather-free

© BMW/Mini
Materials

All BMW and MINI Cars to Have Fully Vegan Options From 2023

Update 27 Feb 2023: All vehicles will have the vegan interior as an option, but it is not standard across the platforms. BMW has announced that from next year, all BMW and MINI cars will have fully vegan interiors. The move is intended to help the company achieve its sustainability goals. To make this possible, BMW claims to have developed an innovative premium leather alternative with good wear resistance, suitable for use on all parts of car interiors — including steering wheels. Following the change, under 1% of the cars’ components will contain animal-derived materials (such as the lanolin and beeswax used in paints). According to BMW, replacing leather with a vegan alternative will cut emissions by 85%, since cattle rearing and processing cowhide both …

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Tesla Model 3

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Materials

Study Finds 70% of UK Drivers Want to Buy a Vegan Car

A new report published by The Vegan Society, based on data gathered in February 2022 amongst drivers (or those planning to buy or lease a car in the near future) finds that 75% want to see the removal of animal products from vehicles and 70% are actively interested in purchasing a 100% animal-free vehicle.  When choosing a new car, more than half (57%) of participants said they would opt for a manufacturer that offers animal-free models, while 61% would purposely seek a manufacturer with green credentials. Almost half (44%) believe it is unnecessary to still use animal derivatives in cars, 55% would prefer car manufacturers not to use animal leather and a huge 77% were interested in seeing plant-based leather utilised in car design instead. …

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Mercedes-Benz VISION EQXX

© Mercedes-Benz

Materials

PETA Survey on Vegan Interiors Reveals New Animal-Free Models From Mercedes-Benz, Volvo, Renault and Citroën

More and more car brands are turning to plant-based alternatives such as vegan leather. PETA has now surveyed automakers from across Europe to find out which companies can meet the high demand for interiors without products of animal origin – including seats, trim and steering wheel. New models with vegan surfaces include the Mercedes-Benz Vito, Kia EV6, Renault Megane E-Tech Electric, Volvo C40 Recharge and Citroën C4, according to PETA’s latest survey. PETA is calling on well-known brands such as Volkswagen, BMW and Audi to also bring vegan finishes into production and clearly declare them. “The future belongs to innovative and vegan interiors in cars, there is no way around that,” says Harald Ullmann, 2nd chairman of PETA Germany. “PETA appeals to all car manufacturers …

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Ford Mustang Mach-E

©Ford
Market & Trends

Sustainability Emerging as Driving Trend in Automotives as Most Vegan-Friendly Cars Revealed 

As sustainability becomes a growing trend in the automotive industry, carmakers are increasingly opting for vegan alternatives in car interiors and greener solutions to transport. As consumers’ desire for sustainable materials drives demand, the most vegan-friendly cars on the market have now been revealed.  Analysing data from PETA and car manufacturers globally, UK car dealer Dick Lovett has named Ford in first place, which currently boasts 28 car models with vegan-friendly details, with further eco-friendly options available. Many of the models feature all-vegan interiors, including vegan steering wheels, as standard.  Vegan cars?  Although car pollution contributes significantly to climate change – up to 29% of greenhouse gas emissions in the US, for example – moves towards sustainable and cruelty-free options are signs of change in …

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Mercedes-Benz VISION EQXX

©Mercedes-Benz

Fashion, Design & Beauty

Mercedes-Benz Opts for AMSilk Vegan Materials in New Concept Car 

AMSilk GmbH, the biotech-based vegan silk material innovator, has announced a new partnership with German car giant Mercedes-Benz. The collaboration will see the development of novel, sustainable car door pulls, as part of the car manufacturer’s latest technology program. “Amid a fresh wave of ambitious climate pledges, we are proud to be playing a leading role in providing solutions for a zero-waste future” Called the VISION EQXX, the new concept car features organic and sustainable interior materials throughout, including the new door pulls made from AMSilk’s Biosteel fiber. The high-strength, certified-vegan, silk-like fabric is made using AMSilk’s proprietary biotechnology, with the company claiming to be the world’s first industrial supplier of vegan silk biopolymers which are 100% biodegradable, renewable, and zero waste.  The all-electric VISION …

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Volvo C40 Recharge

©Volvo
Company News

Volvo Reveals All New Cars Will be Leather-Free and Will Use 100% Renewable Energy

Today Volvo announces that, starting with the Volvo C40 Recharge Pure Electric, all electric Volvo models will be made without animal leather, and from 2030, only pure electric cars will be produced. By 2025, the company aims to use 25% recycled and bio-based materials, and additionally it will aim for all direct suppliers, including material suppliers, to use 100 per cent renewable energy by 2025. Volvo also today releases The Rise of Conscious Design report in collaboration with leading trend forecasting company The Future Laboratory. “We have a vision of where we need to go in the future, with the first step to ensure we harness sustainable, natural and recycled materials,” said Robin Page, head of design at Volvo Cars. “The next challenge is to …

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BMW X Desserto

© BMW X Desserto
Company News

Desserto Cactus Leather Announces BMW Collaboration

The Mexican firm Desserto, creator of sustainable vegan cactus leather, makes its debut in the automotive industry with its new Deserttex material at the IAA Mobility Expo in Munich, Germany. Mexican company Adriano Di Marti, an international multi-award winner for Desserto, presented its new automotive-grade material Deserttex hand in hand with the BMW Startup Garage program. With this innovative technology, the company aims to make significant sustainable contributions to BMW Group vehicles. Through a statement, the cactus leather company expressed that “it is an honor to be part of this important event in partnership with BMW. We are convinced that our cactus-based vegan biomaterials will significantly contribute to sustainability in the automotive industry by offering an alternative to replace traditional leather with sustainable, animal cruelty-free …

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Volvo C40 Recharge

©Volvo
Products & Launches

New Electric Volvo C40 is Completely Leather-Free

The future of Volvo Cars is electric and, at least in this model, free of animal suffering, because the new electric Volvo C40 is the first model to be completely leather-free. The C40 Recharge is based on the CMA vehicle platform and is the first Volvo model in history to be designed as an all-electric vehicle. As early as 2025, 50 per cent of global sales are expected to be all-electric cars, with hybrids making up the rest. By 2030, according to various estimates, every car sold could be a purely electric-based car. “The C40 Recharge represents the future of Volvo and shows where we are going,” said Henrik Green, Chief Technology Officer. “It is fully electric, will only be offered online with a convenient …

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