In recent years, hemp fabric is increasingly becoming the material par excellence, which can be used in a variety of sectors. Indeed, many companies and workshops have rediscovered the advantages of this plant, not only in terms of versatility from a production point of view, but also for its positive ecological impact. Indeed, in recent years, hemp, especially its use in textiles, has been increasingly exploited not only in industries we all know, such as fashion, but also in many others, including the automotive sector.

The history of hemp in the automotive sector

As unusual as it may seem, the relationship between hemp and the automotive sector has a long history. In fact, despite the pressing desire in recent years to use environmentally sustainable materials, such as textile hemp or other types of biopolymers, the need for a more sustainable automotive sector has its roots in the past, particularly in the industrial history of some very famous automotive brands.

The first entrepreneur in the automotive sector to have used hemp as a material for the construction of car parts, even if only to a small extent, was Henry Ford. In fact, in 1941, he presented to the public a car model that contained natural alternatives to plastic, mainly soya and hemp, but also other natural fibres, albeit in smaller quantities. During one of the official presentations of the new car, in order to demonstrate the strength of the materials, Henry Ford decided to use a hammer and began to hit the car to prove its indestructibility. However, Ford was not able to send his prototype into production due to World War II, material shortages and the prohibition of the hemp plant.

Following the return of hemp cultivation in the late 1990s, car manufacturers began to consider the use of industrial hemp. One of the first companies to publicly present their innovation, in 2009, was Lotus Cars, with their ECO Elise. In this car, the hemp-reinforced compound was used in several parts of the car, thus also making it lighter, and in automotive jargon, this meant that fuel consumption was also optimised. In fact, the hemp fibre compound was used on the front (bumpers and part of the bonnet), roof, spoilers, reinforcements and even the seats [1].

Subsequently, other companies in the industry have moved in this direction. Indeed, BMW, with its first electric i3 model, used hemp fibre resin in the door panel cladding. The use of this material allowed the car manufacturer in question to reduce the total weight of the car (by 350kg), thereby also increasing the life of the electric battery [2].

Porsche (for its 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport sports car) also used some hemp and linen parts, as did Mercedes, Audi and Volkswagen.

Some machines that are definitely worth mentioning when talking about the use of hemp fibre, however, include the following models [3]:

- the Kestrel: an electric machine and hemp resin structure, developed by Canada Motive, which, however, did not achieve the desired success,

- Aptera Motors: a solar-powered vehicle made from hemp fibre

- Renew Sport Car: a sports car with a completely sustainable body made from hemp fibre

Textile hemp in the automotive sector: why it is the right choice for the future

As is evident, the automotive sector is also faced with the challenge of sustainability, given both by the creation of electric cars but also cars using alternative fuels, such as hydrogen. But not only for fuels, large automotive companies are increasingly realising how important it is to introduce the sustainability aspect into the entire production chain. For this reason, they are considering different environmentally sustainable materials that can be used as main components in cars but also for the creation of interior fabrics. Hence, hemp fabric and its fibre can also find various applications in the automotive sector.

The reasons why automotive companies are considering the hemp plant are manifold, and can be summarised as follows:

Cultivation and rapid growth modes

First and foremost, of course, is the way in which sativa hemp is cultivated and grown. In fact, as has been mentioned in other articles in this magazine, the cultivation of sativa hemp is extremely environmentally friendly, both because of the minimal amount of water and soil required, the absence of pesticides and preservatives that can be used during cultivation, but also because of its rapid growth (growth cycle of around 120 days). As a result, significantly more biomass can be obtained than with other types of plant fibre.

Lightness of fibre

Secondly, hemp fibres are much lighter than other composites, and this also results in a reduction in the weight of the car, which then also translates into a reduction in fuel consumption (or electric battery).

Fabric versatility

In addition, the great versatility of textile hemp as well as its main benefits, such as strength and thermoregulation, offer an interesting advantage. In fact, hemp textile fibres are widely known for their thickness and hardness, making them indestructible for car interiors. Furthermore, hemp fabric is thermoregulating, and should this fabric be used in seats, it could certainly make driving, especially prolonged and summer driving, more comfortable.

Smart textiles

In addition, the fact that hemp yarn can be combined with other fabrics, or with smart yarns, which allow different aspects to be controlled in, for example, a seat, opens up a whole new range of applications for hemp textiles for car interiors.

Finally, it's all about the cost

Finally, there is also a downside to this material, namely its high price. Since the largest plantations of hemp sativa that can be used for this purpose are located outside the European Union, it is difficult to find them at an affordable price and then export them to Europe, where they will be processed. Once this obstacle is dealt with, hemp will be able to make its way back into the automotive sector, combined, why not, with smart textiles enriched with printed electronics.

The future of textile hemp in the automotive world: what can we expect?

Textile hemp fibre is therefore not an entirely new material, as it has already been used in the past, but what is certainly still to be explored are its applications in the automotive sector. In fact, textile hemp fibre, also combined with other polymers, is still being studied in many laboratories. The advantages in the various applications, however, are clear from the outset, namely the possibility of replacing all non-renewable components with a sustainable resource that at the same time also makes it possible to reduce the total weight of cars and thus also optimise fuel use. The main, and long-term goal of car manufacturers is surely to use more and more renewable and therefore easily recyclable resources in their production. Finally, the European Commission's latest decisions on banning the production of fossil fuel cars will certainly lead to an acceleration of innovations in the automotive sector.