Polestar to introduce vegan interior. 8919

The WeaveTech PVC material is inspired by divers’ wetsuits.

Swedish electric vehicle startup Polestar is developing a non-animal vehicle interior material it says is lighter, greener and safer.

The vegan interior will come standard when the new brand launches its Polestar 2 EV fastback, a four-seater that will arrive in U.S. stores this summer.

For the interior, Polestar is using a material called WeaveTech, a water-based, dirt- and moisture-resistant PVC material inspired by divers' wetsuits.

The material is less environmentally harmful to produce than leather, Polestar said.

It also boasts a longer life cycle, requiring less production in the first place.

With an eye toward future models, Polestar is developing vegan applications for door panels and interior paneling made of flax-based composites, which the automaker says is 50 percent lighter and contains 80 percent less plastic than traditional plastics used in vehicle interiors.

The animal-free interior includes seat surfaces made from recycled PET bottles, headrests and seats made from recycled cork vinyl, and carpet from reclaimed fishing nets.

Source: Automotive News.