Volvo cars anounced that their interiors for the new all-electric vehicles will be on an ethical stand with animal welfare. The Swedish automaker announced that their upcoming EVs will have interiors leather-free, which will start with C40 Recharge.
By 2030 entire Volvo fleet will be electric, now their fleet will also be leather-free as the luxury car will not be made of animal-made materials. Volvo stated that it is “working actively to find high-quality and sustainable sources for many materials currently used in wider car industry.” For now, the company hasn’t found a supplier for their vegan leathers or interiors.
Furthermore, the company adds that by 2025 their vehicles will have one-fourth of the materials used for the vehicle to be recycled or biobased. It means it is not just about leather, but other materials like plastics used in vehicle manufacturing. The company isn’t just focusing on the carbon emissions of a vehicle while using the vehicle, but also while manufacturing and after the usage of the vehicle in its lifetime. Such measures were initially taken by the top EV player in the industry, Tesla.
Negative environmental impacts without the shift
The primary reason for this shift is the company’s concern about cattle farming and deforestation. Stating “Livestock is estimated to be responsible for around 14% of global greenhouse gas emissions from human activity, with the majority coming from cattle farming.”
So the company is focusing on offering better options for their customers without compromising on the quality of their interiors. Tesla cars being most sustainably built, as often known to have compromised on “luxury built” especially because of the simple style used. Having the luxury as per Volvo’s requirement might be a challenge.
Director of Global Sustainability at Volvo cars, Stuart Templar said, “Being a progressive car maker means we need to address all areas of sustainability, not just CO2 emissions. Responsible sourcing is an important part of that work, including respect for animal welfare. Going leather-free inside our pure electric cars is a good next step towards addressing this issue.”
It means the company will be working on the use of plastics, rubbers, adhesives, and lubricants in the making of their vehicles. Where the company stated that “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.”
