Ford continues to reveal its environmental awareness by involving recycling strategies in its manufacturing processes, after committing to turning its Wixom Assembly Plant into an eco-conscious paradise relying on renewables. The new EV from Ford will use Repreve seating material made by Unifi. Repreve is a blend of post-industrial fiber waste and post-consumer waste such as the plastic water bottles made of polyethylene terephthalate (PET).
Each electric Focus will have the equivalent of 22 plastic bottles in its interior, and the strategy is expected to divert 2 million post-consumer plastic bottles from landfills.
The move seems a little strategic, but it’s not the only way that Ford is lowering its carbon footprint from manufacturing. Many vehicles also include soy foam seat cushions and headrests, wheat-straw-filled plastic, castor oil foam in instrument panels, recycled resins for underbody systems, recycled yarns on seat covers, and natural-fiber plastic for interior components.
According to Ford, approximately 90 percent of a current Ford vehicle is recyclable, and the carmaker is working to increase that to 100 percent.
“First-quality Repreve was a natural choice for Ford, because the fabric made with Repreve performs the same as fabrics made of non-recycled materials. Plus, Repreve helps make the Ford Focus Electric better for the planet by reducing the use of natural resources, especially petroleum,” Unifi reports.
In 2009, Ford mandated that fabric suppliers use a minimum of 25 percent recycled content for all 2009 and beyond model year vehicles. Since then, 37 different fabrics meeting the requirements have been developed and incorporated into Ford vehicles.
