Wood fibre is helping make cars greener
Lighter and more sustainable than glass fibre, wood is playing a major role in today’s vehicles
When we talk about emerging technology in the automotive industry, green technology in particular, it’s a conversation that generally revolves around fuel efficiency and emissions ratings.
Depending on how much of an auto nerd you are dealing with, you may even touch on things like advanced electric power assisted steering systems and aerodynamics. The smoother a car runs, the less air it has to push through to move, the less energy it takes to operate.
But what about the stuff that modern cars are made of? Did you know that 90 per cent of a new car is made from recycled materials.
Already, we’re starting to see tree parts used in vehicle manufacturing. Sounds odd, I know. But the fact is, wood fibre and other tree components have been found to be one of the most viable, cost- effective solutions to some of the challenges that auto manufacturers face today.
A long way from the 18th Century horse- drawn wooden carriages or your mother’s classic wood panel station wagon — the use of wood in auto parts is less visible now, but far more significant and certainly more organic.
It turns out wood fibre can be used as a more economical, sustainable and lightweight substitute to glass fibre. By working together, the automotive and pulp and paper industries are also creating jobs, a great bonus.
As it happens, a number of stakeholders recently met in Toronto to discuss the opportunities for innovative collaborations between these two industries.
Among them was Ellen Lee, Ford Motor Company’s Technical Expert in Plastics Research, up from Michigan to attend the meeting of the Biopathways Partnership Network. Lee, whose focus at Ford includes developing technologies using the most sustainable materials, says she’s excited by the possibilities that exist for the automotive and forest products industries to collaborate, and that we’re really only limited by our own imaginations.
North America’s auto manufacturers have been leading the charge on developing innovative green technologies and are now getting other industries involved as well.
These technological advances in bio- research have resulted in a wide range of products being developed, including lightweight flooring for electric vehicles and SUVS that’s made from forest biomass and seat cover materials from non- toxic vegetables oils.
Auto notes
It was a pleasure to attend the inaugural B. C. Mayors’ Caucus in Penticton this past week. The mayors were incredibly receptive to hearing about the importance of new car dealers in their communities. It was also nice to see Sechelt Mayor John Henderson arrive in his Tesla Roadster, a qualifying vehicle under the CEVFORBC incentive program.
And we were happy to welcome everyone who stopped by the CEVFORBC Showcase at this year’s EPIC Expo. The eco- conscious crowd was incredibly receptive to learning about the province’s clean energy vehicle options.
Watch for the CEVFORBC Showcase to pop up at other events around the province this summer. If you missed out you can find out more about the program online at www. cevforbc. ca