NHJHWood you believe it?
Tomorrow is unknown. We don’t know what tomorrow will bring. The automotive future that we envision today may be very different from the one we actually see. Autonomous, Electric Vehicles, 5G Cellular Network Tech, ride-and-car-sharing services, among others, are all eager to disrupt this industry. Global car sales are slowing as more companies merge and partner. Japan’s Ministry of the Environment has made a car from wood. It’s kind of. It’s the Nano Cellulose Vehicle, and it looks as wild as its name.
It isn’t the first car to be made from wood. Automakers have used wood since the beginning of the automobile. Although wood has been used in structural parts of vehicles before, we now find it most commonly as interior trim pieces. Japan’s new automobile is quite different. It is made from nanocellulose fibers or, as notes in the story, “plant-derived materials.”
Wood may not be the first material you think of when thinking about a modern automobile. However, the material has many benefits that other automakers might find attractive. The cellulose fiber weighs one-fifth as much as steel, but is five times stronger.
The Ministry used the material for the construction of the vehicle’s bodywork as well as a part of the tub. Weight savings are the main benefit. Nano Cellulose Vehicles are half the weight of traditional automobiles. This can increase the vehicle’s range and efficiency.
The car is cool, but the main focus was not on it. The vehicle was the result of investigating new manufacturing processes and materials that can reduce carbon emissions in car building. Is that a sign your next car will be made from wood? That’s unlikely. It’s much more likely that automakers will use nano cellulose fibers in a select number of vehicles. This can save weight, increase efficiency, and push the automotive industry to new heights.