Automotive companies have taken different approaches to designing eco-friendly vehicles. With the aim of launching zero-emission automobiles, many brands have started designing EVs. They have created their own sustainability strategy to reach their goals. What’s more, they want to use sustainable and environment-friendly materials to design the car. Their focus is not limited to aesthetics and performances. From recyclable plastics to sustainable fabrics, different factors contribute to the development of a greener environment in the automobile industry. So, learn more about the sustainable materials for automobiles.
Car interior materials have become more sustainable
The automobile industry has witnessed the trend of using more natural and sustainable materials. Automakers are trying to use new eco-friendly materials to replace the detrimental ones. These initiatives will also benefit other industries in the world. For instance, SofTex, a type of synthetic leather, is a lightweight material. It results in reduced VOC and carbon emissions.
Acella hylite is also a translucent surface material that adapts lighting to ambient light, weather conditions, and circadian rhythms. It helps with better comfort and higher safety for consumers.
Let us now see how automakers have shown their innovative efforts by using various natural materials. For instance, the BMW i3 EV’s interior has a plant-based kenaf. On the contrary, Ford uses soy-based foam for some cars. It has also chosen recycled clothing materials and plastics for vehicles.
Tomato skins have become an eco-friendly alternative to the traditional carbon black used for suspension bushings and hoses. Similarly, coffee chaff is used for many headlamps. Automakers are looking for other materials to reduce the environmental impact of cars in the future.
Other noticeable trends of using eco materials for car interiors
Traditional automobile interiors are mostly made from synthetic materials. Modern automakers want to use natural fibers like hemp and cotton. They are renewable materials with a low environmental footprint. They make you feel luxurious and comfortable. Your regular driving activities will be more sustainable.
Leather is the most commonly chosen material for luxury car interiors. However, as people have become more conscious about environmental effects and animal welfare, they want alternative materials. So, many automobile brands have started using Piñatex (pineapple leather) and mycelium (mushroom leather) for a sustainable solution. However, these eco-friendly materials do not affect the aesthetics of your car interior.
Recycled textiles are also used for some car interiors. They minimize the use of new resources and lower the risk of plastic pollution. Automakers are trying to repurpose existing materials to make car interiors durable and stylish.
Eco-friendly materials for designing car exteriors
Most automobile manufacturers are highly strict in maintaining safety standards for the vehicle’s exterior. However, they have faced some challenges in using innovative material technologies. Still, they have tested the steel, carbon fiber, aluminum, and other materials to know their viability. Besides, plastics reinforced with natural fibers are also useful for creating lightweight automotive bodies. Using organic composite materials, automakers can reduce the overall vehicle’s weight.
Car tires have become more sustainable
Automakers have focused on both interior and exterior car details to make everything eco-friendly. They use rubbers for advanced tire technology. With the aim of maintaining sustainability, tire makers have chosen raw materials like agricultural wastes, recycled rubber, and rubber from dandelions. Today, many passenger car tires are made from recyclable materials.
Natural rubber is the best raw material for improving car tire performance. The natural material constitutes almost 10 to 40 % of the overall high-performance tire’s weight. It comes with some properties, such as durability and strength caused by strain-induced rubber crystallization. The tire manufacturing industry is the most significant consumer of internationally produced rubber.
What’s more, some tires have plant-based fiber fillers. For instance, silica lets manufacturers optimize various characteristics like tire life, grip, and rolling resistance. Rice husks will also be used in the future for the same purpose. As they are rice production wastes, they are not consumed as animal food. Moreover, silica obtained from rice husk ash is highly energy efficient. So, it is better than traditional materials like quartz sand.
Electrification and aerodynamics
Aerodynamics is highly important for reducing a car’s energy consumption and carbon emissions. It is used for making sustainable vehicles like EVs. Some auto designers mould the car exteriors to make them aerodynamically efficient. It will lower the air resistance level, as electric vehicles need significantly fewer parts, compared to cars with internal combustion engines.
EVs allow engineers to have more potential to deal with minimalistic and attractive designs. Automobile designers are able to make effective car body designs reflecting environmentally friendly and futuristic nature. So, from better battery packs to aerodynamic refinements, designers focus on different things to optimize the electric vehicle’s function.
Smart and sustainable materials for automobiles
Many automobile makers use adaptive and smart materials for designing their vehicles. For instance, piezo crystals are capable of capturing energy from moving objects and converting it into an electrical version. They are used for shaping electroactive plastics and memory materials. There are other smart uses of piezo crystals. If they are embedded into busy highways, they will capture energy from the vibrations of cars. Thus, they will generate a high amount of electricity, which powers households across the city. Designers and engineers can also incorporate these elements into vehicles to power EVs.
Conclusion
As sustainability has become the top priority, car manufacturers have found several possibilities. Many designers in the automotive industry have already added lightweight, eco-friendly materials to the design. Recycled plastics, natural fibers, and other sustainable materials used for automobile design will minimize environmental impact. Some automakers have thought of creating vegan car interior designs to attract the attention of vegan customers. What’s more, using sustainable technology, automotive makers try to make cars more recyclable. In the future years, you will find more use of sustainable materials for automobiles and their components.