Mixing cars and booze is a bad idea, but Ford and tequila giant Jose Cuervo are unlikely partners thanks to a new venture that hopes to make plastic car parts from materials left over from the tequila making process.
The Detroit News reports that the Ford is working on making lightweight “bioplastic” using agave fibers that remain after Cuervo has made tequila from the plant’s juice.
Cuervo harvests upwards of 300 tons of agave each day, and most of the leftover fibers have historically been discarded or incinerated. However, earlier this year the tequila company sent some fibers to Ford for testing, and the car company says the material is both versatile and more environmentally friendly than some existing products.
Ford says the plastics made from the agave fibers weighs about 15% less than the materials they could ultimately replace in vehicle interiors.
Jose Cuervo could help lighten up Fords [Detroit News]
by Chris Morran via Consumerist