Ford Gets Inspired by Bees, Builds Lightweight Cargo Shelf For EcoSport

The part is entirely made out of recycled paper honeycomb, and it will be present in the Ford EcoSport, the smallest crossover offered by the brand. Unlike bees, this technology has not been present in the world for centuries, but consumers have encountered it in other forms.

As Ford explains, the honeycomb technology descends from honeybees, and it was first introduced in the world of household door manufacturing. Five decades later, Ford brings the technology to automotive design, and it also resides in the furniture industry with tremendous success.

Evidently, the floorboard employed by Ford is not made just with paper, but also with water-based glue. It weighs six pounds (2.72 kg), but it can handle “nearly 700 pounds” (317.5 kg) of cargo.

According to the Michigan-based automaker, the 38.5-inch by 25.25 inch-inch surface can hold as much as five bags of concrete mix (94 pounds each), four large bags of top soil (40 lbs each), and eight gallons of water stored individually. The example presented in the press release adds up to 638 pounds, but the company does not mention if it can hold 700 lbs or not.

Regardless, this paper-based panel can hold over 100 times its weight, which is impressive for almost any kind of material.

The EcoSport’s new cargo floorboard is adjustable, meaning that it can slide into multiple different slots inside the trunk, just like you can arrange the trays in an oven.

The panel can be placed in four positions, and three of those involve it being used as a shelf in the trunk. The fourth refers to it being stowed behind the rear seats.

American customers will get the new floorboard early next year, when the EcoSport is launched on the North American continent. We expect Ford to offer this setup in other models of its range in the future.

There's no word whether the European-spec EcoSport will get this tray, but it is likely if you consider the OneFord strategy.