Most hybrid car owners are at least partially influenced by the positive impact their vehicle has on the environment, but Ford is ready to take eco-friendly to the next level with their latest endeavor.
The motor company, that has made headlines recently for their press release claiming to have outsold Toyota in electric car sales, has crafted a test vehicle using fabric made out of Coca-Cola’s PlantBottle Technology material.
The Ford Fusion Energi plug-in hybrid has PlantBottle Technology interior fabric surfaces covering seat cushions, seat backs, head restraints, door panel inserts and headliners.
As innovative and, dare we say, cool as the car appears, both companies maintain it goes beyond such things, affirming a joint commitment from two of the biggest companies on earth to develop new products from renewable materials.
Ahead of the new Fusion Energi being put on display later this month at the Los Angeles Auto Show, John Viera, global director of sustainability and vehicle environmental matters for Ford, 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.”
While Coca-Cola and Ford may not seem like the most obvious coupling, both companies are known for using PET, a lightweight, durable plastic in a variety of their products, including bottles, fabrics and carpets. This shared ideal provided a clear platform and opportunity for them to bring together both recyclable and renewable technologies.
“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,” said Scott Vitters, general manager of PlantBottle packaging platform for the Coca-Cola Company. “We are pleased to share this technology with Ford, and look forward to continuing to expand the application of PlantBottle Technology.”
The PlantBottle-Fusion Energi initiative is also encouraged by the World Wildlife Fund, which advises companies to look for alternatives to fossil fuels.
In the past, Fusion cars have also included things like sound-absorbing denim material equivalent to more than two average-size pairs of jeans in the car’s carpet liner, recycled bottles in the cloth-seat Fusion models and more than 31,000 soybeans have been used for the foam in vehicle seat cushions.
So while Ford may be focused on topping Toyota, their Fusion is catching plenty of attention for raising the environmental consciences and reducing petroleum production.
