Global beverage giant Coca-Cola Company (Atlanta, Georgia / USA; www.thecoca-colacompany.com) has partnered with US automaker Ford (Dearborn, Michigan; www.ford.com) to apply the Atlanta-based company’s proprietary "PlantBottle" technology to the interior fabric of Ford’s “Fusion Energi” plug-in hybrid vehicle. Specifically, the automotive group has developed what it claims is the first-ever fibre that can be woven into durable, automotive-grade PET fabric from PlantBottle material.

The bio-PET, which is 30% plant-based and utilises renewable bio-MEG (see Plasteurope.com of 27.11.2009), is used in seat cushions, seat backs, head restraints, door panel inserts and headliners. This marks the first time Coca-Cola's PlantBottle technology has been used for interior fabric. The vehicle is on display at the Los Angeles Auto Show (http://laautoshow.com), 22 November to 1 December.

Commenting on the collaboration, John Viera, global director of sustainability and vehicle environmental matters at Ford, noted, "By using [the] technology in a plug-in hybrid, Ford and Coca-Cola are showing the broad potential to leverage renewable materials that help replace petroleum and other fossil fuels, reducing the overall environmental impact of future vehicles."

The idea for the project dates back to 2012, when research teams from both companies came together to explore innovations for sustainable products. As both Coca-Cola and Ford use PET, it made sense, the companies said, to cooperate and develop new recyclable and renewable technologies.

Since the US drinks company first introduced PlantBottle PET bottles for its soft drink products in 2009, it has distributed more than 18 bn units across 28 countries, Coca-Cola said.