Mercedes-Benz has been using natural fibres such as flax, hemp, sisal and coconut in the interior of its vehicles for many years. But now, with the adoption of a new kind of natural fibre, we have become the first car manufacturer in the world to extend the use of biomaterials to the exterior of a car: in certain applications, such as the cover of the spare-wheel well in the Mercedes-Benz A-Class Coupé, fibre obtained from the abaca banana plant replaces the traditional glass fibre which has been in common use until now.
Using renewable natural fibres not only helps preserve natural resources but also reduces production costs and the weight of our vehicles. Furthermore, production of the abaca fibre takes over 60 percent less energy than that required to manufacture the glass fibre material normally used. It is hardly surprising, therefore, that the innovative use of these fibres with their low environmental impact has been the subject of a great deal of interest and has recently been recognised with the prestigious "SPE Automotive Award".
