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Toyota Creates New Ecological Plastic

The automotive industry is constantly making efforts to create vehicles that are more eco-friendly. The public is used to receiving information about revolutionary new developments that offer significant changes.

However, there are certain projects that might seem less important at first glance, but these shouldn’t be overlooked as they too can contribute to sustainable motoring. This is the case with Toyota’s new Ecological Plastic, a material that is ready to be used in the carmaker's future models.

This is tougher, harder-wearing and more shrink resistant than previous bio-plastics, being the first in the world to be made using bio-PET, which includes raw material derived from sugar cane.

The material was developed by Toyota and Toyota Tusho Corporation and will reduce the amount of petroleum-based products used in the production process, as well as cut vehicle full-life emissions by being more carbon-neutral.

The new plastic’s robust qualities make it suitable for use for vehicle liners, carpeting, seats and other interior surfaces. Its first application in a production model is for the luggage compartment liner in the new Lexus CT 200h, while later next year Toyota proposes to introduce a model in which it will cover 80 per cent of the vehicle interior. Through its use in volume production, Toyota expects the new Ecological Plastic to match the cost-per-part performance of conventional, petroleum-based plastics,” stated the press release.

Toyota has started developing and introducing bio-plastics 10 years ago. The latest major innovation offered by the company is the Ecological Plastic (2009), an injection moulded material derived from plants that is used for multiple elements of the third generation Prius.
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About the author: Andrei Tutu
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In his quest to bring you the most impressive automotive creations, Andrei relies on learning as a superpower. There's quite a bit of room in the garage that is this aficionado's heart, so factory-condition classics and widebody contraptions with turbos poking through the hood can peacefully coexist.
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