Mercedes-Benz’ New Electric Car Is Fitted With Mushroom Leather and Vegan Silk
Automaker’s latest cutting-edge electric car is fitted with interiors made from sustainable future-fabrics derived from mushrooms, bamboo, cactus and vegan silk.
Credit: Mercedes-Benz
Leading automaker Mercedes-Benz has unveiled its game-changing new electric car that boasts a 1,000-km range - and includes cutting-edge interiors fitted with sustainable fabrics like mushroom leather and vegan biofabricated silk.
Currently, car interiors can often use animal leather to line the seats, steering wheel, and even the gear stick.
But increasing awareness of the cattle industry’s devastating environmental footprint, has led many leading designers and manufacturers to replace carbon-intensive leather products with cutting-edge sustainable materials and recycled fabrics.
Now, Mercedes-Benz has revealed some of the surprising future fabrics that will line the interiors of its latest electric car, the Vision EQXX, and future models.
The Vision EQXX. Credit: Mercedes-Benz
The electric Vision EQXX has already made headlines for its unprecedented range of more than 1,000 kilometers on a single battery charge. And its sustainable credentials extend to the interiors, too, which are made from what the automaker calls a ‘surprising mix of sustainable materials’ which includes mushrooms, bamboo, cactus, and vegan silk.
The seats are trimmed in an animal-free leather that is crafted from pulverized cactus fibers, while the seat cushions incorporate a vegan leather made from mushroom-like mycelium, reports MotorTrend.
The door pulls of the Vision EGXX are even made from a vegan-certified biofabricated silk that is biodegradable and recyclable.
Mercedes-Benz reports that these innovative animal-free materials have halved the carbon footprint of using animal-based leather.
The brand joins other leading car manufacturers who are making more and more of their cars leather-free. Volvo, MINI, Volkswagen, and Tesla are among those who also offer leather-free car interiors.
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The footage was reportedly recorded at Marshall BioResources in North Rose, New York, where up to 22,000 dogs - mostly beagles - are being bred for animal experimentation.