Renault Goes Big on Bio-composite to Lightweight 5 E-Tech

With sustainability becoming ever more crucial to consumers, Renault has made the choice to respond to this demand by packing its new all-electric car with low-CO₂ materials supplied by Forvia (formerly Faurecia). The materials include NAFILean-R and Ecorium, which incorporate recycled polypropylene (PP) and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) content, and natural materials such as hemp fiber. 

First time use of bio-composite in a vehicle.

Materi’act, Forvia’s sustainable materials division, supplies the Renault 5 E-Tech with NAFILean-R, a bio-composite incorporating 20% natural hemp fibers with a matrix of fully recycled PP derived from post-consumer waste. It has been adopted for the first time on board a vehicle in the instrument panel.

Developed and supplied by Materi’act, together with recyclers Veolia and APM, this material offers a 73% reduction in CO₂ emissions together with 20% weight saving without compromising on stringent specifications for resistance, crash safety, and cabin air quality. The car’s center console is also made from sustainable materials.

The interior of the Renault 5 E-Tech incorporates unprecedented levels of sustainable plastics. Image courtesy of Renault.

Animal leather alternative.

Ecorium, a premium trimming material for seats designed as an alternative to animal leather, will also be available in certain models of the new E-Tech. This material, also made from recycled plastic — in this case PET — and hemp, offers a 90% reduction in CO₂ emissions compared with traditional leather. The hemp is locally grown and processed in Burgundy.

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“The new R5 E-Tech is another milestone in Renault’s relentless effort to use as many recycled and renewable materials as we can. Thanks to close collaboration with project engineers and suppliers like Forvia, we have been able to [apply] these materials in areas [where] previously only virgin polymers were used, without any trade-offs in design, performance, or durability,” said François Farion, design director for innovation and sustainability at Groupe Renault.

Eco-responsible mobility.

“It is exciting to be working closely with the Renault and Ampere teams on such an emblematic new vehicle. With all the on-board equipment on the Renault 5 E-Tech, Forvia is once more demonstrating the breadth of its solution portfolio, responding to its customers’ desire for an eco-responsible and innovative mobility,” said Thorsten Muschal, executive vice-president of sales and program management at Forvia.