Skoda showcased its new development on a cutaway Octavia prototype. Two types of new materials are announced, which are noted to be both durable and environmentally friendly. The first is based on waste from sugar beet processing, the second on miscanthus pulp (a type of reed plant).
Materials from beets are used for decoration (in the photo, you can see it as the fabric adorning the dashboard and door cards), while those from miscanthus are used to create the trim elements themselves. For example, the same door cards are made from it.
At the same time, Skoda emphasized that the technology is even more eco-friendly than one might think. The raw material itself is delivered from agricultural enterprises in the city of Dobrovice, which is in close proximity to Skoda's headquarters, development department, and main plant in Mlada Boleslav. Thus, minimal CO2 is emitted during its transportation.
The new development will soon be seen on future production Skoda models. The Czech manufacturer also reminded that using recycled materials in car production is not new to it. In particular, the seat covers for the electric crossover Enyaq (produced since November 2020) in the Lodge trim are only 30% wool, with the remaining 70% coming from recycled plastic bottles.
