The Coca-Cola Company and Ford Motor Company have collaborated on the first ever car interior fabric made from PlantBottle packaging.
Used by Coca-Cola in 28 countries, the PlantBottle is a fully recyclable PET bottle made from plant sources and this is the first time is has been used for anything other than packaging.
Ford has used Coca-Cola’s technology to produce a fabric that can be used to cover seat cushions, seat backs, head restraints, door panel inserts and headliners.
It has been used in a Ford Fusion Energi plug-in hybrid research vehicle that will be available to view at the Los Angeles Auto Show later this month.
But Ford has not said whether it plans to roll out the fabric in its Ford Fusion Energi range available in the United States or whether it will be available in the European version – the Ford Mondeo Energi – when that launches late in 2014.
Ford global director of sustainability and vehicle environmental matters John Viera said: “By using PlantBottle technology in a plug-in hybrid, Ford and Coca-Cola are showing the broad potential to leverage renewable materials that help replace petroleum and other fossil fuels, reducing the overall environmental impact of future vehicles.”
The Coca-Cola Company PlantBottle packaging platform general manager Scott Vitters said: “This collaboration with Ford demonstrates that PlantBottle technology can be applied anywhere PET plastic is traditionally used, but with a lighter footprint on the planet.
“We are pleased to share this technology with Ford, and look forward to continuing to expand the application of PlantBottle technology.”
Ford already uses recycled PET bottles in its Fusion range, but considers this an even more environmentally friendly option.
