It is generally recognised that the automobile industry is one of the most damaging to our world, and despite the ever-expanding range of electric cars and programmes like BMW’s iVision Circular, there is still much more to be done. As a result, Ford has declared that it would become more sustainable in the future years, beginning with the Bronco Sport, which uses recycled ocean plastic pieces.

The Bronco Sport’s wiring harness clips are created from abandoned plastic fishing nets collected from the Indian and Arabian seas, kicking off the sustainable endeavour. These eco-friendly parts are just as sturdy as petroleum-based parts, but cost 10% less to build and take 10% less energy to manufacture, all while helping the marine environment and, by extension, us people live better lives.

“It is a good illustration of circular economy, and while these clips are modest, they represent a significant first step in our studies to use recycled ocean plastics for additional components in the future,” says Jim Buczkowski, vice president of research and Henry Ford technical fellow.

This is not the first time Ford has utilised recycled water bottles to create lightweight, aerodynamic-enhancing, noise-reducing underbody shields for the 2020 Ford Escape, and it has recycled different sections of its automobiles to be replicated in its manufacturing line.

Ford is collaborating with McDonald’s USA to transform dried coffee bean skins into strengthened headlight housings, and it is also exploring at utilising ex-currency and agave fibre from the tequila-making process to build additional parts for its automobiles.