Au(to) Natural

Got Fiber?
DaimlerChrysler has spent 15 years researching the use of natural fibers in auto parts and is already using natural fibers like flax, hemp, sisal, and coconut for vehicle interiors. In the 2004 three-door version of the Mercedes Benz A-Class, the automaker introduced natural fiber-based material on the standard underbody cover of the spare-wheel compartment. The material is a combination of polypropylene and abaca (a relative of the banana), which grows in the rain forests of the Philippines. Abaca has a high tensile strength and is resistant to rotting. On-the-road testing concluded the new material shrugs off denting from stones kicked up from the road and resists weathering from exposure to the elements and dampness. Energy costs for manufacturing from the material are 60 percent lower than when using petroleum-based materials.


Scientists at the University of Warwick in the United Kingdom are working to create ways of transforming miscanthus, or "elephant grass," into a biodegradable plastic that can be used to produce hubcaps and dashboards. The crop, the stems of which can be fermented and distilled to produce ethanol, is currently burned in European power plants as a source of bio-energy. Capable of growing up to 12 feet without pesticides or fertilizer, miscanthus can produce up to eight tons of biomass per acre.


Mitsubishi Motors has developed a green plastic made from bamboo fiber that will be used for the interior of a new concept minicar to be launched in Japan in 2007. Mazda used green plastic for the interior, and the quarter panels of the RX-8 Hydrogen RE concept exhibited at the 2003 Tokyo Show.

Tread Green
Interiors and body components aren't all that can go green; tires may soon be changing colors too. Goodyear, in collaboration with Novamont, is replacing part of the lampblack and silica in tire mixtures with a bio-filler made from maize starch. This partially bio-tire reduces rolling resistance thus improving fuel economy while reducing noise and lowering carbon dioxide emissions during manufacturing.


In 2003, European regulations holding manufacturers financially responsible for the end-of-life disposal of their products were adopted, making plastics that biodegrade in a matter of months a very desirable commodity. American automakers have not been issued such a mandate. But landfills, where 75 percent of the 10- to 11-million vehicles disposed of each year in the U.S. wind up, are rapidly reaching capacity. A green solution, such as bio-plastic, could be the answer to keeping our landfills under control, while giving something positive back to the environment.