What do you think about when you hear that the Ford Motor Company teams up with Jose Cuervo? Nay, the two outfits aren’t working on an in-car tequila cooler. In fact, FoMoCo and Jose Cuervo are exploring the use of agave plants to develop bioplastic.
Sounds legit, doesn’t it? You see, dwindling reserves of fossil fuels and concerns over extreme climate change mean that automakers are now incorporating biodegradable materials into their passenger cars.
Thus, the often ruthless and prejudiced automotive industry tries to reduce its reliance on petrochemical products for the better of mankind. The dashboard and door trim of the BMW i3, for example, are made from renewable natural fibers. Ford wants a piece of that action and chances are it will get it.
“At Ford, we aim to reduce our impact on the environment,” declared Debbie Mielewski, Ford senior technical leader of the sustainability research department. “As a leader in the sustainability space, we are developing new technologies to efficiently employ discarded materials and fibers, while potentially reducing the use of petrochemicals and light-weighting our vehicles for desired fuel economy.”
Given the circumstances, Ford needs the agave plant byproduct from Jose Cuervo to make things like wiring harnesses, storage bins, and even HVAC units. Research on this matter is still in its early stages, though.
However, initial assessments suggest that agave byproduct is what Ford needs due to its aesthetic quality and durability. Considering that the average car needs around 400 pounds (180 kilograms) of plastic, tequila probably isn’t the answer but it’s worth a shot [no pun intended].
“Jose Cuervo is proud to be working with Ford to further develop our agave sustainability plan,” said Sonia Espinola, director of heritage for the Cuervo Foundation and master tequilera. If everything goes according to plan, then the next generation of Ford cars could make use of agave byproduct.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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