Ford is teaming up with Lear Corporation, a leading environmental automotive interior design company, to debut soy-based flexible foam seats in the 2008 Ford Mustang.
This isn’t the first time Ford has soybeans in its vehicles. The Model T used to contain 60 pounds of soybeans in its paint and molded plastic parts, and the 2003 Model U had soy-based seat cushions.
Why Soy?
According to Ray Scott, senior vice president and president of Lear’s Seating Systems Division, “Using renewable resources is an important means to supplying automotive products that improve environmental impact.”
So why use soy foam? Because there are many environmental advantages, such as:
- Reduces carbon dioxide emissions
- Requires less energy to produce the materials
- Lower mass
- Made of 24% renewable content
- Reduces dependence on other energy markets
And if you weren’t sure if Ford and Lear were qualified to say if soy was the right way to go, they did collaborate with:
- United Soybean Board New Uses Committee – A group of 64 farmers and agriculture industry leaders
- Urethane Soy Systems Company ‘ The first company to use soybean oil in polyurethane applications
- Bayer Corporation – Global leader in the fields of health care, nutrition and high-tech materials
- Renosol Corporation – Manufacture polyurethane systems, molded polyurethane seating and interior trim products for vehicles
These are definitely some credible resources.
You can read the entire article here.
If these soy foam seats are a success, they would greatly reduce the energy and pollution that are created from manufacturing regular petroleum-based foam.
But once we use up all our soy resources, what’s next?
