7 days ago
Not just Renault and Tesla, 6 car brands ditched leather interiors; here's what they are using instead
A leading French car manufacturing brand, Renault, has pledged to completely eliminate animal leather interiors from all its vehicles by the end of this year. The move is most likely to be welcomed by the vegan community.
According to the Daily Mail, the decision has been confirmed by PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals), who will see Renault ditch animal leather options from across its global car line-up in a few months. Moreover, it has already stopped offering leather seats and steering wheels to UK customers.
One Billion Animals are Killed Annually for Leather
The PETA report reveals that the global leather trade kills nearly one billion animals annually. It takes the hides of three cows or bulls to cover the interior of the standard-sized car.
PETA's Vice President of Corporate Projects, Yvonne Taylor, said. "Renault is showing that true luxury doesn't come at the cost of animal welfare."
The new Renault 5 E-tech Electric, Symbioz, and Rafale all feature seats that are made of eco-friendly fabrics.
After talks with @PETA_France & @PETADeutschland, @renaultgroup pledged to ditch leather by the end of this year 🎉🐮We applaud this compassionate decision & can't wait to see their gorgeous leather-free interiors soon 👏🫶
Not just Renault, but other cars like Tesla and Porsche took part in the initiative
According to PETA India, not only Renault but also prominent brands including Tesla, Porsche, and Volvo are also phasing out animal leather in favour of sustainable and cruelty-free alternatives.
The shift is driven by growing consumer demand for ethical and eco-friendly vehicles. The report says that these companies are also offering 'vegan' or leather-free interiors, using materials like recycled plastics or polyester.
Here's a look at some other brands and their initiatives:
Tesla: Tesla is known for its all-electric lineup and has completely embraced vegan interiors by eliminating animal leather from all its models.
Porsche: According to The New Indian Express, the brand is currently offering a leather-free interior option in its Taycan electric vehicle, marking a significant step towards sustainability.
Volvo: Volvo is focusing on going leather-free across its entire range by 2030, utilising materials like Nordico that incorporate recycled plastics, cork, and other organic materials, reported ET.
BMW: BMW's i3, an all-EV sedan, features all door panels and dashboards made from natural kenaf plant fibres and seat cloths made from 100 per cent recycled polyester.
Mercedes-Benz: Mercedes-Benz also uses Artico, a synthetic vinyl-based leather material, in some of its vehicles.
Fisker: This car also features a vegan interior made with recycled nets, T-shirts and rubber, as per PETA.
Land Rover: While Land Rover uses a wool-polyester blend from Kvadrat in some of their vehicles.
(Note: These brands are also offering vegan leather options for customers in a move to utilise synthetic materials like Sensatec and Artico.)
FAQs
Q. Which Renault models feature leather-free interiors?
The Renault 5 E-Tech Electric, Symbioz, and Rafale are among the models featuring eco-friendly, leather-free interiors made from sustainable fabrics.
Q. What are some of the most important aspects of the design?
The automobile has a '5' on the bonnet that shows the vehicle-to-load (V2L) capability, vehicle-to-grid (V2G) functionality, and the charge status (for techno trim and up).
