Coconut fibre, wood, cotton -- renewable raw materials like these are increasingly being used to make components for cars. A car will never be fit for the compost heap but designers are turning their attention to eco-friendly materials because they possess outstanding qualities, according to dpa. The idea is not entirely new: in 1915 glue made from wheat was used to assemble the Model T Ford. In 1940 Ford produced a trunk lid made from soya bean plastic. What is new is the trend towards using environmentally friendly components in cars. Fuel consumption plays a role in reducing CO2 emissions but biodegradable components can also help cut climate-harmful gases and they also improve a car company's environmental credentials. But some materials have a very basic appeal for designers: they are simply very practical. "Every Renault car contains between 13 and 16 kilograms of natural fibres," says Fabrice Abraham from the French car maker's material development department. Cotton, linen, wood, plant oils and natural rubber are frequently used to make car seats, pipes, interior decorations and fuel lines. At luxury car maker Porsche car components made from natural materials such as the floor covering in the trunk of the Panamera model. This has the acronym Nawaros, which is short for the German for renewable raw material, Nachwachsender Rohstoff. Car maker Mazda has developed what it calls a "biodegradable plastic" with the aim of reducing the number of car parts made from hydrocarbons. Mazda's Hybrid RE has biodegradable plastic in its interior panelling. Opel is using a lot of flax, according to company spokeswoman Eveline Weber, to make door coverings in the Astra and Insignia as well as coverings used in most other Opel models. Wood fibres are also increasingly being used to replace plastic normally found in floor coverings. The next generation Zafira will see India rubber and coconut fibre replace foam in the car's seating. Mercedes is to use charcoaled olive seeds in its exhaust filters, according to company spokesman Dan von Appen. The reasons for using natural materials to make cars are not only driven by concerns for the environment. "We want to make our cars more environmentally friendly -- from production to the recycling phase," says Renault's Abraham. But it's also about optimising techniques and economic considerations. Renewable materials are often better in that regard than products made in factories. Car designers put very high demands on the renewable materials they use in their cars. "They have to fulfill the same requirements as synthetic car parts," says Opel designer Weber. Safety is also another important consideration. If a natural fibre is too long, and could pose a danger if it split in a collision, then a synthetic material will be used instead. "No compromises are made when it comes to quality," says Miriam Degott from Toyota. In many instances developers discover that natural materials are not only better for CO2 emissions but they are also lighter and stronger. Although there are many areas where renewable raw materials are being used they are rarely visible. "In most cases they're covered by a piece of decoration," says Weber. Leather is the exception. It's another matter though when it comes to concept cars or show cars. Chrysler, for example, designed a car with seats made from soya, Land Rover used biodegradable felt to replace wood finishing and Renault even used flax to make structural body parts in its 2008 Ondelios concept car.
