Ford Moving Towards Greener Pastures
With guidance from eco-friendly designer/architect William McDonough and inspiration from its groundbreaking Model T, Ford has unveiled their latest protoype SUV: the Model U. This seemingly oxymoronic vehicle is powered by an eco-friendly (but powerful) supercharged hydrogen fuel cell that has almost no emisions and is more fuel efficent than gasoline engines.
The many "green" materials innovations are impressive. Here are some highlights:
- recyclable polyester on seats, dash, steering wheel, headrests, door trim, and armrests
- a corn-based biopolymer for the retractable canvas roof and carpet mats
- soy-based composite resins form the rear tailgate and side panels
- soy-based composite foam for seating
- lightweight, recyclable aluminium body