Ford is saying "cheers" to a new idea involving a tequila company!
Jose Cuervo is the "driving" force behind a new concept that could reduce the weight of car parts, which can help improve fuel economy and the environment.
Ford has been trying to go green for the past 15 years.
Debbie Mielewski is a Ford senior technical leader for their sustainability research department.
"We have soy foam in every single North American built Ford vehicle," she said. "We have wheat strap-ins in the Ford Flex. There is eight sustainable materials."
Ford is working with Jose Cuervo to use agave plant byproducts left after tequila is made.
"It takes seven years to harvest the pina from the agave. They chop it, shred it, and what's leftover is a fiber. That fiber is being sent to us. We have learned how to dry it, chop it, incorporate it into plastic parts."
The goal is to use the fibers to create car parts.
"It's suitable for things like aero ducts, wiring harnesses, even potentially visible surfaces within the car."
Right now, researchers are testing the material’s durability and heat resistance.
"That fiber does not have any useful purposes. In fact, it's sometimes burned in the field which is terrible for greenhouse gas emissions. So if it's a great strong fiber why not use it?"
If all goes well, you could find remnants of Jose Cuervo inside a Ford car in the near future.
