Volvo Cars To Go Leather-Free In All Pure Electric
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Volvo Cars is taking an ethical stand for animal welfare in its fully electric cars. Starting with the new C40 Recharge, all-new fully electric Volvo models will be completely leather-free. In the coming years, Volvo Cars will launch a completely new family of pure electric cars. By 2030 it aims to offer only fully electric cars – all of them leather-free.
As part of its ambitions to go completely leather-free, Volvo Cars is working actively to find high-quality and sustainable sources for many materials currently used in the wider car industry. By 2025, the company is aiming for 25 percent of the material in new Volvo cars to consist of recycled and bio-based content, as it looks to become a fully circular business by 2040. As part of its climate action plans, it also aims for all its immediate suppliers, including material suppliers, to use 100 percent renewable energy by 2025.
Volvo Cars has created a new interior material – Nordico. It will consist of textiles made from recycled material such as PET bottles, bio-attributed material from sustainable forests in Sweden and Finland, and corks recycled from the wine industry.
The company’s move towards leather-free interiors is also driven by a concern about the negative environmental impacts of cattle farming, including deforestation. Livestock is estimated to be responsible for around 14% of global greenhouse gas emissions from human activity, with the majority coming from cattle farming.
Instead of leather interior options, Volvo Cars will offer its customers alternatives such as high-quality sustainable materials made from bio-based and recycled sources.
“Livestock is estimated to be responsible for around 14% of global greenhouse gas emissions from human activity, with the majority coming from cattle farming.”
For example, Nordico, a new interior material created by Volvo Cars, will consist of textiles made from recycled material such as PET bottles, bio-attributed material from sustainable forests in Sweden and Finland, and corks recycled from the wine industry – setting a new standard for premium interior design. This material will make its debut in the next generation of Volvo models.
Instead of leather interior options, Volvo Cars will offer its customers alternatives such as high-quality sustainable materials made from bio-based and recycled sources.
Volvo Cars will also continue to offer wool blend options from suppliers that are certified to source responsibly, as the company looks to ensure full traceability and animal welfare in its wool supply chain. Volvo Cars is also looking to reduce the use of residual products from livestock production commonly used within or in the production of plastics, rubber, lubricants and adhesives, either as part of the material or as a process chemical in the material’s production or treatment.
The company takes this step because it believes that while going leather-free is a step in the right direction, doing so alone does not make a car interior vegan.
By aiming to actively replace these materials as much as possible, Volvo Cars takes a strong and ethical position to do what it can to help stop animal harm, by contributing to a reduced demand for these materials containing animal products.
Questions & Answers
Q.Which specific fully electric model will be the first to feature a leather-free interior?
Which specific fully electric model will be the first to feature a leather-free interior?
The new C40 Recharge will be the first fully electric Volvo model to be completely leather-free. All new fully electric Volvo models launched in the coming years will follow this approach.
Q.What is Nordico, and what materials is it made from?
What is Nordico, and what materials is it made from?
Nordico is a new interior material created by Volvo Cars. It consists of textiles made from recycled materials like PET bottles, bio-attributed material from sustainable forests, and corks recycled from the wine industry.
Q.Why is Volvo Cars also focusing on reducing other animal-derived products in its vehicles?
Why is Volvo Cars also focusing on reducing other animal-derived products in its vehicles?
Volvo Cars believes going leather-free alone does not make a car interior vegan. They are looking to reduce residual products from livestock in plastics, rubber, lubricants, and adhesives to take a stronger ethical stand.
Q.By what year does Volvo Cars aim for all its immediate suppliers to use 100 percent renewable energy?
By what year does Volvo Cars aim for all its immediate suppliers to use 100 percent renewable energy?
As part of its climate action plans, Volvo Cars aims for all its immediate suppliers, including material suppliers, to use 100 percent renewable energy by 2025.
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