Nissan’s joy over Leaf trip

A Nissan Leaf model has completed the UK’s longest and most complex autonomous car journey.

The research project, called HumanDrive, saw the Leaf finish the Grand Drive – a 230-mile self-navigated journey on UK roads.

Its route included unique road environments such as complex roundabouts and high-speed country lanes with no road markings, white lines or kerbs.

As if this iconic little car was not desirable enough in everyday form – it has sold more than three million to date – it now has rather good green credentials.

The hybrid powertrain has reduced emissions to 88g/km of CO2 but even more interesting than that are the seats. They are made from 90 per cent landf il l plastics and 10 per cent marine waste.

This new upcycled fibre is called Seaqual and Fiat is one of the first car manufacturers to use it. Other companies onside include Ikea and Jack Wolfskin.

Seaqual is made by transforming plastics from the sea into f lakes of polyethylene terephthalate, which are used in yarn from which the seats are made. In the weaving phase, it is

mixed with other natural and recycled fibres.

Fiat uses 1.5kg of recycled plastic sea waste for each seat – that’s 61.5 plastic bottles. For 100,000 cars, they will use six million bottles.

“That’s cleaning up an area of sea waste the size of Wales,” said Fiat production manager Stefano Cesini. Phew… keep going. Another 300,000 and they’ll reach the size of Scotland. The Fiat 500 has been