Vegan has emerged as a new lifestyle of modern people. The Word vegan originally referred to scrict vegetarianism, but its meaning has recently been expanded and used as a term to express an attitude of life that rejects products and services that exploit animals.
The mobility industry is also vegan. It is leading value consumption by adding vegan options to electric vehicles that are about to be launched. This is the birth of the so called vegan car.
Aren’t cars made of iron? That’s right. The main materials of automobiles is metal such as aliminum. However, the seats and wheels are made of natural leathers.
Concerns about sustainability have led to questions about the necessity of using natural leather. Natural leather may look good, but is not good for the environment. Enviromental pollutants are used in the tanning process, and wastewater discarded after processing pollutes seas and rivers.
It is said that the leather equivalent to 8 cows is used per vehicle. Acceptable inhumane breeding practices for collecting livestock must also be considered. Taken together, the craze for vegan automobile production in the mobility industry can be seen as part of ESG management for animal ethics and environmental protection.
A lineup of vegan electric vehicles attracting attention
Bentley has been using more than 20 animal skins for interior finishing to bring out luxury. They have been investing in the development of eco-friendly materials since 2017, when they accelerated their vegan movement. The car that reflects that will is the pure concept car “EXP 100 GT” to commemorate the brand’s 100th anniversary.
Mentioned as a model for where Bentley will be in the future in 2035, the EXP 100 GT uses a variety of eco-friendly materials. The leather seats were made by synthesizing grape skin by-products from wine production, and the exterior was painted with paint made from chaff ash.
Volkswagen has developed an eco-friendly material called AppleSkin. As the name suggets, the main ingredient for apple skin is apple pulp left over after juice production. The electric concept car ID unveiled at the 2019 LA Auto Show.
Hyundai Motor Company has partnered with the startup Mycell Project. These are originally Hyundai Motor Company’s house-venture companies. They plan to build a mass production plant in Bangladesh next year to use artificial leather based on mushroom mycelium developed by Michelle.
Volvo has decided to convert 25% of new car materials to sustainable materials by 2025. Their chosen material is Nordico. Nordico’s main ingredients are wine corks, plastic and bio-based materials obtained from Swedish forests. Starting with the C40 Recharge model, it will be applied step-by-step to all products.
Mobility meets vegan! What materials will tomorrow’s mobility made of? We will see in the future.
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This event was organized by one of the largest purchasing groups in the world called Nexus, with which we cooperate.