If you have your eye on a Volvo C40 Recharge, you will no longer find leather seats on the option list. The Swedish manufacturer is switching to non-animal, more sustainable alternatives in its electric vehicles.
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By 2030, Volvo Cars wants to market only electric vehicles. ‘But we need to address all aspects of sustainability, not just the CO2emissions,” says Stuart Templar, director of global sustainability. ‘A responsible purchasing policy is part of this, including respect for animal welfare. The move to leather-free interiors has also been prompted by our concern about the negative environmental impacts of livestock farming, including deforestation.’
The first model in which leather disappears from the option list is the electric C40 Recharge, the first of which will roll off the production line in the Ghent Volvo factory on 7 October. In the coming years, Volvo will launch a completely new family of pure electric cars, all without leather. Instead, it offers sustainable wool and nordico. The latter is made from wood fibers from sustainable forests and recycled PET bottles and wine bottle corks.
The new materials, like leather, cost more than 1,500 euros more than the standard textile upholstery of the seats.
The more expensive, the better
“In the premium car market, at least half have leather seats,” says Gabriel Goffoy of the Febiac automobile federation. ‘It is part of the basic options, just like a GPS, air conditioning or alloy wheels. In general, the version of the car is more luxurious the higher the price category. The more expensive the car, the finer the leather.’
‘As a sector federation, we welcome all initiatives that fit within the European Green Deal. We should not only reduce the CO2emissions from the cars, but also reduce their ecological footprint. Circularity is the keyword here. Many manufacturers are already taking initiatives, with a focus on recycling the batteries of electric cars.’
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