Ford Develops Eco-Friendly Wheat-Straw Reinforced Plastics, First Application on 2010 Flex

Powertrains aside, automakers are also looking in other areas to make today's vehicles more environmentally friendly. One such example is a newly developed natural fiber-based plastic that contains 20 percent wheat straw bio-filler developed by the University of Waterloo in Ontario, Canada, as part of the Ontario BioCar Initiative. Ford is the first automaker in the world to make use of this new bio-material on the 2010 Ford Flex's third-row interior storage bins.

According to the company, this application alone reduces petroleum usage by some 20,000 pounds per year and CO2 emissions by around 30,000 pounds per year while the bio-material is said to demonstrate better dimensional integrity than a non-reinforced plastic and weighs up to 10 percent less than a plastic reinforced with talc or glass.

But what makes this initiative even more impressive is that it also represents a sustainable usage for wheat straw which is the waste byproduct of wheat. Ford said that in Ontario alone, where the Flex is produced, more than 28,000 farmers grow wheat, along with corn and soybeans. At any given time, there are some 30 million metric tons of available wheat straw waste in Ontario.

"Wheat is everywhere and the straw is in excess," said Dr. Ellen Lee, technical expert, Ford's Plastics Research. "We have found a practical automotive usage for a renewable resource that helps reduce our dependence on petroleum, uses less energy to manufacture, and reduces our carbon footprint. More importantly, it doesn't jeopardize an essential food source."

Ford said that it is considering the use of natural fiber-based plastics for other applications in the near future including the center console bins and trays, interior air register and door trim panel components, and armrest liners.