Mercedes with cork

Mercedes has a prototype with upholstery, door, ceiling, gearbox, hand brake, steering wheel and dashboards all lined with cork. The Brazilian aviation giant Embraer has packed away materials derived from oil and has chosen cork for the seats and panels of its business jets. There are track-based public transport systems in São Paulo, Amsterdam, The Hague, Rotterdam, Nantes and Lima that use cork. There is a car seat made from cork which halved its volume and made it three times lighter than traditional seats. It keeps the comform and it can be recycled. It is a Portuguese project that has captured the attention of the world’s leading vehicle components company, Magna International Inc.

Cork is the motor vehicle industry, public transport floors and applications inside the vehicle passenger compartment continue to be studied, for example, as appliques, on handbrake handles and gear levers, on the steering wheel cover and dashboard. The Mercedes Benz F700 is an example of this use.