In 2008, the next big car innovation didn't come from steel, it came from coconuts, and the auto industry took notice

Coconut fiber car parts: In 2008, Ford Motor Co. teamed up with Scotts Miracle-Gro Company to test discarded coconut fibers, known as coir, as a renewable material for molded plastic vehicle parts, as per a report. The effort aimed to reduce the use of petroleum while creating lighter components with a more natural look.

Earlier, researchers at Baylor University had also developed technology to use coconut fibers in automotive interior parts such as trunk liners, floorboards and interior door covers.

From discarded coconut husks to car parts

Ford's project made use of coconut coir left over from Scotts Miracle-Gro's consumer products. The company used the fibers in products such as Turf Builder EZ Seed and Miracle-Gro Expand 'n' Grow, processing more than 70 million pounds of coir each year, as per Canadian Plastics report.


Instead of being discarded, the coconut husks were combined with plastic to reinforce vehicle components while reducing the amount of petroleum needed in the material.

Ford said the lighter-weight parts could also offer fuel-saving opportunities.

Baylor researchers also explored coconut fibers

Earlier, researchers at Baylor University had been working on using coconut fibers as a replacement for synthetic polyester fibers in compression-molded composites.

Led by Distinguished Professor of Engineering Dr. Walter Bradley, the team developed technology to use coconut fibers in trunk liners, floorboards and interior door covers, marking the first time the material had been used in those automotive applications.

The researchers said coconut fibers offered mechanical properties that were as good as, or better than, synthetic polyester fibers while costing less and making use of a renewable material that would otherwise have been thrown away.

Helping coconut farmers while reducing waste

Baylor's research also focused on creating new markets for coconut-growing regions near the equator.

With an estimated 11 million coconut farmers earning an average annual income of about $500, the researchers hoped increased demand could raise the value of each coconut to 30 cents and significantly improve farmers' incomes.

Bradley said, "What we hope to do is create a viable market for the poor coconut farmer," adding, "Our goal is to create millions of pounds of demand at a much better price," as quoted by Baylor University.

Testing coconut composites for future vehicles

Ford identified several possible uses for the coconut fiber-plastic composite, including door trim, seat trim, storage bins, centre console substrates, underbody panels and exterior trim.

Unlike many other bioplastic materials designed to resemble conventional plastics, Ford said the long natural fibers would remain visible, giving the parts a more natural look than typical materials.

The company was testing the material for durability and to determine whether the natural flame-resistant properties of coconut coir would carry over into the finished composite. Meanwhile, Baylor researchers were also putting coconut-fiber automotive parts through certification tests to ensure they met the necessary safety performance specifications.