Written by / Windsor
Editor/ Zhang Nan
Design / Zhao Haoran
Temperatures at the Earth's poles have soared, shocking scientists around the world. In March, temperatures in Antarctica are more than 70 degrees above average, while temperatures in the Arctic are more than 50 degrees above normal.
On 27 February, the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change released a report titled "Climate Change 2022: Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability", which identifies how the climate crisis is moving towards irreversibility, concluding that "this will change the lives of all people on the planet".
The environment and climate change that were silent in the past are becoming more and more deeply reflected in human life, and all walks of life are exploring solutions. In the fashion world, a revolution is underway by luxury giants, with brands, manufacturers, designers and supply chains collectively challenging tradition to bring sustainable materials into the app.
Cars are no exception. Until today, while changing people's lives, cars are still regarded as world hazards, the products of destroying the environment and creating pollution, and the view that "cars are the main source of pollution in society" is deeply rooted in the hearts of the people.
In the past, environmentalists were happy to export the idea that it was better to drive an old car than to buy a new one, because a new car has cleaner exhaust but incurs carbon costs in terms of manufacturing, transportation, etc. When cars gradually bid farewell to the internal combustion engine and there are no exhaust emissions in the electric age, one of the key issues of whether the car can take off the hat of pollution comes to the materials of automobile manufacturing.
The century of change in the automotive industry gives us the opportunity to be in a unique position to rethink the industry, change direction, and rebuild supply chains. For luxury brands standing at the tip of the pyramid, one of their responsibilities is to lead the transformation of the industry and define the rules of the industry.
In the face of the proposition of sustainable development of automobiles, luxury brands have taken the lead in undertaking the task of exploration. The goal of sustainability is to meet current needs without harming the lives of future generations, including recycling, reusing materials and moving to less polluting carbon processes.
So we see that Mercedes-Benz chooses UBQ materials made from food scraps, mixed plastic, cardboard and baby diapers, and BMW is ready to look for the future from the discarded fishing nets and plastic products on the seabed. Brands such as Maserati, Porsche, Volvo, Audi and Jaguar Land Rover have also entered the game. That said, the trash you throw away has the potential to be part of your next new car.
At the crossroads of history, while auto companies are expanding the lineup of electric vehicles, a revolution about immortal automobiles is being set off.
The most radical products and the most advanced ideas
Econyl is a material that theoretically lives forever.
This renewable raw material comes from discarded nylon products, such as old carpets, old fishing nets, etc., which will first enter the primary treatment field, sort, grind, and then send them to the factory for decomposition, reconditioning, recombination into granules, and finally processed into nylon yarn. The process of grabbing raw materials cleans up the environment in which fish and corals live.
Today, Econyl nylon products are used in more than 1,000 brands worldwide, including Prada, Gucci and Adidas. The manufacturer claims that as long as it is Econyl recycled nylon yarn, it can be recycled an unlimited number of times. In the automotive industry, brands such as BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Audi and Porsche have all chosen Econyl.
In February 2011, BMW unveiled its sub-brand BMW i at its headquarters in Germany, which mainly represents new energy vehicles and new mobility solutions. In 2021, the new pure electric vehicle BMW iX, which represents BMW's thinking about the future, will be unveiled in China.
BMW iX's carpets and floor mats feature Econyl. In addition, each BMW iX contains about 60 kilograms of recyclable plastic, and the whole vehicle is 95% recyclable, mainly made of carbon fiber. The leather seats of the BMW iX abandon the traditional chemical tanning preparations and are treated into leather decorations by collecting leaves after annual European pruning of olive groves, tanning preparations with olive leaf extract.
BMW aims to reduce the group's average carbon footprint throughout the life cycle of its bicycles by at least 40% and reduce carbon emissions by 200 million tons by 2030.
Mercedes-Benz is ready to extract raw materials from cactus fiber powder and fungal hyphae to make leather as an alternative to genuine leather products; the door handles are made of biodegradable pure plant silk, and some synthetic fabrics made from 100% recycled PET plastic bottles.
Mercedes-Benz has already piloted the EQS, and the new car will be equipped with the manufactured cable duct UBQ, a plastic alternative material extracted from household waste; the floor coverings of the EQS also use nylon yarn Econyl from carpets and fishnet recycling. Mercedes-Benz said one ton of this yarn could reduce carbon dioxide emissions by more than 6.5 tons compared to the new material. More than 80 kg and up to 186 components in the EQS are efficiently reused from recycled and renewable raw materials.
UBQ materials are obtained from the conversion of mixed household waste. This waste is difficult to recycle, so it is often heat treated or ends up in landfills. In the next ten years, Mercedes-Benz will increase the share of secondary raw materials in passenger cars to an average of 40%. Mercedes-Benz aims to achieve carbon neutrality in its new vehicle lineup by 2039.
There are many more such examples.
For the first time, the Porsche Taycan offers an interior that does not use leather at all, using Race-Tex materials combined with fabrics. Race-Tex is a microfiber material containing recycled polyester fibers that produces 80% less carbon dioxide produced by producing this material compared to conventional materials. Porsche aims to be carbon neutral across the value chain by 2030.
As early as 2019, Land Rover's English official website can see that the interior of the new Range Rover Evoque has three material options: Windsor leather, Kvadrat preferred wool blend and eucalyptus fiber fabric. Eucalyptus fabric, officially known as "Eucalyptus Melange" (eucalyptus blend), contains 30% stretchable fibers, taken from the bark of eucalyptus, and the remaining 70% polyester.
According to official figures, the Range Rover Evoque consists of up to 33 kilograms of recyclable and natural materials. Jaguar Land Rover aims to achieve zero emissions by 2036 and carbon neutrality by 2039.
Volkswagen is committed to achieving carbon neutrality through carbon reduction through the full product life cycle by 2050. As part of this, Audi grinds recycled PET bottles and converts them into polyester yarn, which accounts for 89% of Audi's fourth-generation A3 car seat material. Another 62 PET bottles were recycled for carpeting in the Audi A3. The carpets and floor mats of the electric Audi e-tron are made of Econyl, and the 20-inch wheels are assembled from aluminum with low CO2 emissions.
In the NEXO China version, Hyundai Motor, a republic refilled with hydrogen fuel, selected decorative materials such as bio-coatings made from vegetable oils and plant-based artificial leather. Approximately 30 kg of biomaterial is used per vehicle, which equates to a reduction of 12 kg of CO emissions per vehicle.
The Mini Hatch seat cushion uses 70% recycled material, the fabric seat uses 100% recycled material, and its handbrake and shift lever are made of faux leather.
……
Without exception, these brands have selected the application of sustainable materials on the new energy products that best represent the future ideals of the brand, starting from the details of the interior, and instilling the concept of the next generation of products into the minds of consumers from the drops.
Dismember the car and replace it with recyclable materials
"Today, there are about 40 different types of basic plastics and polymers commonly used to make cars, and state-of-the-art separation technologies are capital-intensive." Brian Moody, Autotrader's executive editor-in-chief, said in an interview with ABC that "most plastic comes from oil and gas feedstock, which is usually discarded in landfills when vehicles are decommissioned." ”
"Not only is this an outdated trend," Moody's notes, "environmental laws are likely to become more stringent in the coming years, which is also driving automakers to desperately find solutions." ”
Car brands have actually started experimenting very early. At the Detroit Auto Show on January 5, 2003, Ford unveiled the Model U, whose hybrid engine door panels are made of a natural fiber-filled composite material. In 2008, a seat cushion made of soybeans replaced the oil polyol foam in a Ford Mustang sports car, an industry first. Ford has also tried to synthesize new materials from agave, potato peels, and coffee crumbs to reduce car pollution.
Stephanie Brinley, an analyst at market research firm IHS Markit, said automakers are actively pushing for a green transition to the car, and that from the final presentation, these eco-friendly materials "must look good, durable, and work properly" to win over consumers.
"If the material performs well, consumers will be happy." Brinley said, "You'd be hard-pressed to find someone who was against sustainable materials. ”
Outside of the interior, automakers are "dismembering" cars to test other applications of sustainable materials, such as Mercedes-Benz, which wants to replace parts such as body floors, wheel arch linings and engine compartment covers. Vehicle bodies traditionally produced in series are mainly made of steel. Manufacturers are now moving to more sustainable materials as well as overall lighter materials to improve fuel efficiency.
In 2020, the World Economic Forum proposed a new initiative for "circular vehicles". The report notes that there are four key transformation paths that can be used to achieve sustainable cycles within the automotive ecosystem:
Carbon neutrality throughout the vehicle's life cycle, e.g., selection of low-carbon materials and assembly methods, integration with the grid;
Resource recovery and closed-loop utilization of materials, e.g. end-of-life dismantling and reverse logistics, battery recycling for electric vehicles;
Extend the use of vehicles and components, e.g. new ownership models, large-scale reuse and remanufacturing;
Ensure effective use of vehicles in both time and space dimensions, e.g. on-demand use of vehicle/mobility services.
To achieve carbon neutrality throughout the vehicle's life cycle, one of the key points in the use of low-carbon materials is new aluminum, which, although expensive to mine, can be recycled almost indefinitely. Global demand for aluminium is expected to grow by more than 80% by 2050, while recycled aluminium uses only 5% of the energy needed for primary production. By increasing the share of aluminum in cars, cars are transforming into a more renewable product.
A lighter alternative than steel and aluminum is plastic. Automakers are looking for marine plastic as a raw material for auto parts and structures, and the harness clips in Ford's Bronco Sport models are made of ocean-caught plastic, a part commonly known as a "ghost gear" that weighs about 5 grams and is fixed to the side of the vehicle's second row of seats, which is the wire that powers the side curtain airbags.
The strength and durability of this replacement material is comparable to that of previously used petroleum-based plastic parts, but the cost is reduced by 10% and the energy required for production is also less.
In 2019, Ford Motor & McDonald's announced that they are providing the automotive industry with a caffeine-enhanced filler for use in automotive components such as headlamp housings by utilizing the most common coffee beans found in breakfast. Going back further, Ford has also worked with tequila manufacturer Jose Cuervo to study how to develop sustainable bioplastic materials that can be used in automobile manufacturing through the secondary utilization of agave plant fiber by-products.
An ordinary car is made up of tens of thousands of parts, and reconstruction is a huge and complex task. Although car companies have worked hard enough, the change of concept still has a long way to go. About 54% of new cars SOLD by MINI in the UK order leather upholstery, which are generally sold for an additional fee or are standard on higher-priced models. Some netizens questioned, "Without leather, animals will not be killed?" Unless you don't eat meat anymore. “
However, car companies can't do without it, and promoting sustainable goals means better market opportunities, less production waste, environmentally friendly workflows and lower production costs. More importantly, it reflects the brand's ethical dimension and values.
As CHIPZER, chairman of the BMW Group, said, "The best cars should be sustainable, because the concept of sustainability is inseparable from the connotation of high-end luxury." "In the future, the standards of a good car will change, and preparation needs to start now.
This article was originally produced by Automotive Business Review
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