The concept of a ‘vegan’ or ‘eco-friendly’ interior might conjure unappealing visions of tacky faux leather or compostable door-linings, but the reality is far more enticing – and exciting.
The automotive industry’s shift to sustainability knows no bounds – encompassing everything from powertrains, to sound systems, to interior finishes.
Consumers are also following suit and embracing eco-friendly products on a global scale – with a recent survey suggesting sustainable mobility is now a primary concern for the majority of new car buyers in the United States, China and parts of Europe.
However, for shoppers contemplating the transition to an electric or hybrid car, the notion of compromising on a less-than-luxurious interior could serve as a deterrent.
Buzzwords like ‘biodegradable’ or ‘recycled’ may not suggest opulence, but major automotive brands are using all-new man-made materials to redefine our notions of luxury.
For Volvo, this rethinking of luxury was integral in creating its upcoming 2024 EX90 flagship electric SUV, which is composed of almost 50kg of recycled plastic and bio-based materials, as well as recycled PET bottles.
“We’ve chosen materials based on our values,” said Cecilia Stark, Senior Design Manager.
“These choices leave behind old-fashioned automotive luxury and express our Scandinavian foundations. With the Volvo EX90 we take customer well-being as a design starting point.”
In the Volvo EX90, buyers will be able to option wool-blend seats (which have received the animal welfare tick of approval), and enjoy wood-panelling around the cabin, designed to evoke “a Scandinavian living room atmosphere”.
Ultra-exclusive, ultra-eco-friendly
In fact, sustainability is increasingly becoming the domain of ultra-high-end carmakers, who are investing large portions of their budgets into the development of interior materials that retain a luxury feel but with a smaller environmental footprint.
When British carmaker Aston Martin debuted its Lagonda concept car at the 2019 Geneva Motor Show, onlookers may have been surprised to see it featured a vegan interior, given Aston’s usual focus on old-school craftsmanship and traditional luxury.
“We imagined that the owner would be a sort of pioneering yet environmentally conscious person,” Aston Martin’s Chief Creative Officer, Marek Reichman, told Euro News. “They may well have a luxury villa in a remote place that acts as their sanctuary.
“As such, the Lagonda brand is unconstrained by the traditional values of current luxury products, it is not about wood and leather, we tried to design the interior to feel very calm and quiet with soft, natural materials like cashmere.
“Lagonda reflects a future that is full of unique materials that are not set in the past.”
Since then, Aston has remained committed to transitioning its interiors to more sustainable alternatives, including offering Australian lambswool in its DBX SUV.
Goodbye leather and plastic, hello wood and wool
While less sustainably sourced materials like leather and plastic might be on the way out, that doesn’t mean your only options are compostable materials that look bland and feel rough to the touch.
Quite the contrary, in fact. In lieu of the more traditional luxury finishes, carmakers are shifting their focus to sumptuous natural materials like wool and wood.
BMW arguably pioneered the use of composite materials with the 2013 launch of its i3, which featured door panels made of hemp and a dashboard made of environmentally friendly wood.
Today, the German carmaker continues this tradition of using sustainable materials, with plans to launch its first vehicles featuring completely vegan interiors in 2023 – including headliners and floor mats made from Econyl, a yarn made in Italy from old fishing nets.
In case you doubted the luxury credentials of these fishing-nets-turned-fabric, Econyl is also used by high fashion houses Prada and Gucci in their clothing collections.
Meanwhile, the seats in Volvo’s XC90 Recharge SUV are upholstered in the brand’s Tailored Wool Blend upholstery, made from 30 per cent responsibly sourced wool and 70 per cent polyester and resembling the fabric used on a designer suit.
A visually appealing fabric known as Nordico – made from a mix of recycled materials and bio-material responsibly sourced from forests – adorns the doors and seats on several of Volvo’s current and upcoming electric models.
Nordico’s appeal transcends the automotive industry, with fashion designer Phillip Lim using the material to create a weekend bag.
Meanwhile, German stalwart Mercedes-Benz is also incorporating eco-friendly fabrications into the cabins of its cars – offering Dinamica, an ultra-soft, imitation suede made from recycled plastic and clothing, and Karuun, a timber trim made from sustainably sourced rattan.
Even extremely high-end legacy carmakers like Bentley are open to changing their approach to luxury.
The British carmaker has gone to great lengths to source the sustainable materials used in its cabins – experimenting with a vegan leather made from grape skins, and dashboards made from American red gum that falls naturally in the Mississippi wetlands.
Bentley, in turn, plants a new red gum tree for every one it uses.
Environmental credentials with enhanced performance
Not only are sustainable materials better for the environment, they often improve a car’s function by making it lighter and thus more aerodynamic.
Polestar, Volvo’s all-electric performance sub-brand, chose to replace the plastic in its dashboards and centre consoles with a flax-based composite material from Swiss manufacturer Bcomp.
“Our material can cut the weight of interior panels by up to 50 per cent,” Per Martensson, Bcomp’s Chief Sales Officer, told The New York Times.
“So we reduce the plastic content drastically, and we increase the performance.”
Through its venture capital arm, Volvo Cars has also made a strategic investment in Bcomp to further explore the application of its materials in upcoming electric models.
“We’re very encouraged by the possibilities offered by flax composites, which is why we used them both in the interior and on the exterior of the Volvo Cars Concept Recharge,” Robin Page, Senior Vice President Design at Volvo Cars, said.
“It is a material that is environmentally responsible with a very low carbon footprint that also delivers an attractive and natural aesthetic.”
Meanwhile, Mercedes-Benz’s EQS and EQE vehicles will be equipped with cable ducts made from a material known as UBQ, which is obtained from household waste and can achieve stiffness and sound-damping while remaining lightweight.
The push for eco-friendly alternatives also has the potential to improve the performance of in-car systems, including the audio quality of the in-built sound system.
Global automotive audio company Harman – which produces the high-end Harman Kardon sound systems featured in cars from the likes of Volkswagen, Kia, Mini and Volvo – is already working to streamline its technologies to provide crisper sound with less environmental impact.
“Our GreenEdge power management technology effectively delivers twice the sonic performance with half the energy consumption of traditional audio components, resulting in greater fuel efficiency and lower carbon emissions,” said Matt Fisch, Harman’s Vice President of Global Engineering for Car Audio.
“Through advanced system components and breakthroughs in audio engineering, we’ve been able to reduce the weight of systems by 27 per cent, allowing for power savings of up to 80 per cent.
“All of this helps to boost amplifier efficiency by up to 90 per cent and ultimately increases sound pressure levels for a better experience all-around.”
For buyers hesitant to make the shift to electric or low-emissions vehicles for fear of sacrificing their luxury leanings – fear not.
Not only are sustainable interiors (and underpinnings) the way of the future, they also provide a higher level of comfort, style and unique design than traditional materials ever could.
“The future is about creating better, more respectful ways in which to use what nature has given us, embedding natural materials as part of eco-systems across different industries and letting their properties shine through,” said Wen Zhou, CEO of 3.1 Phillip Lim.
Volvo has even coined a new term for it: luxtainability. Coming soon to a car near you.
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