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Sustainable Flax Composites Enter Serial Automotive Production in Volvo EX30

Bcomp’s ampliTex natural-fiber composites are being deployed in a mass-market car for the first time.

Stephen Moore

March 8, 2024

2 Min Read
Volvo EX30
Video courtesy of Volvo; GIF created via Canva

At a Glance

  • The small SUV focuses on sustainability and is designed to have the lowest carbon footprint of any model in Volvo’s history
  • Bcomp’s ampliTex natural-fiber composites are used in the EX30 dashboard and door trim
  • AmpliTex combines low environmental impact with high performance and unique design opportunities

Swiss sustainable lightweighting company Bcomp has announced the application of its ampliTex natural-fiber-composite technology in the new Volvo EX30. This landmark project will see Bcomp’s flax-fiber composites offered as an optional trim for the dashboard and doors of the EX30. The collaboration follows Volvo Cars Tech Fund’s Series B investment in Bcomp last year. 

While Bcomp’s natural-fiber composites have been well-proven in demanding motorsport applications like Formula 1 and Formula E, this is the first production vehicle to reach consumers. The highly innovative Volvo EX30 is a small all-electric SUV that combines safety, sustainability, cutting-edge tech, and Scandinavian design. Drivers can choose from four distinct interior “rooms,” two of which — the Mist and Pine rooms — embrace the natural aesthetic of ampliTex trim panels.

Volvo EX30 interior

Cooperation commenced with concept cars

Bcomp had worked with Volvo Cars previously, in 2018, for the Volvo Ocean Race Recycled Plastics Demonstrator Vehicle. This was followed by the Concept Recharge in 2021, which demonstrated the future direction that Volvo Cars would take in all-electric car development. It included extensive use of Bcomp composites in both the interior and exterior, from storage areas to bumpers and sills.

Related:McLaren Pioneering Sustainable Composites in F1

AmpliTex is a technical reinforcement fabric made from renewable flax fibers grown in Europe. It combines sustainability, low weight, and unique design opportunities. The use of ampliTex in the EX30 marks a significant stride in Bcomp’s vision for mobility, reflecting a shared commitment to sustainability and long-term efforts to reduce the lifetime emissions of passenger vehicles. It is also in support of Volvo Cars’ sustainability strategy, which includes selling solely all-electric cars by 2030 and achieving climate neutrality by 2040.

First flax composite production car

Christian Fischer, CEO and co-founder of Bcomp, commented: “This is a milestone moment for Bcomp. We are all incredibly proud to see ampliTex composites in the new Volvo EX30 – it will be the first production vehicle delivered to customers with our materials! We have had the pleasure to work closely with Volvo Cars for a long time, sharing the same vision for sustainable mobility and the potential for biobased materials to contribute to a circular future. This is the first step of our plan to [enter] into the large-scale mobility industry and continue our mission to help our customers decarbonize their supply chains.”

The Volvo EX30, featuring Bcomp’s ampliTex technology, was officially launched in June 2023, and is available for order or pre-order in select markets.

About the Author

Stephen Moore

Stephen has been with PlasticsToday and its preceding publications Modern Plastics and Injection Molding since 1992, throughout this time based in the Asia Pacific region, including stints in Japan, Australia, and his current location Singapore. His current beat focuses on automotive. Stephen is an avid folding bicycle rider, often taking his bike on overseas business trips, and a proud dachshund owner.

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