vegan-friendly cars

[anonymous-user]

Hello,

I've spent the best part of a month looking for vegan-friendly cars and I'm struggling. I've called/e-mailed VW, honda, toyota, daimler and nissan, and am still no closer to finding a car without any leather in it (including no leather on the steering wheel and gear knob and at the base of the gear stick).

I was hoping someone here who knows more about cars could help me with my search with a few tips on manufacturers/models to look at, and whether it is possibly to buy a car with tiny bits of leather and have it professionally swapped out for a vegan friendly alternative?

Thanks!

[Integroo]

What's the point of buying a car with leather in it and swapping it out? Animal is already dead and you're not reducing demand...

[Dannbodge]

You'll probably find that 90% of the cars aren't even using real leather but a synthetic one.

But that's made of plastic, which comes from oil......which comes from very old dead animals.

[RSTurboPaul]

I'm guessing you've not bothered emailing Bentley or Rolls Royce lol


IIRC the BMW i3 had an interior full of funky materials (rather than leather) but I wasn't paying attention to the gearknob / steering wheel.


I imagine the reason that leather is used so extensively for shoes/car interior parts etc. is that it is perfectly suited to the job requirements - sturdy and long-lasting yet supple.

Edited by RSTurboPaul on Thursday 6th June 14:34

[anonymous-user]

Guys, please. I don't want to have a debate about ethics here. I'm just after some advice. Thanks.

[Mo28]

The leather in most new cars is not even leather, like my Mercedes has artico leather which is man made aka fake leather.

I think Jaguar Land Rover offer their cars with 'vegan' friendly interiors but is something you'll have to look into with more detail.

[RSTurboPaul]

Good points made on the fake leather.

Getting a steering wheel and gearlever gaiter re-covered/re-made in something like Alcantara should be a relatively low-cost exercise.

[anonymous-user]

@RSTurboPaul is this something the dealership would be able to do? I'm eyeing up a golf S class but am worried the material at the base of the gear stick has leather - every other part is plastic the salesguy advised me.

Also, these sales guys at the dealerships don't know whether it's leather or not - too all those saying it's probably fake leather, is there any definitive way of finding out? It's very important for me so i'm holding put till I find as vegan-friendly car as possible, then will run it to the ground!

[Darinz]

Tesla interiors are "vegan", or partially. In Model S and X (the big ones) the steering wheel is leather as standard but apparently can be requested to be synthetic.

In the Model 3 the entire interior including steering wheel is synthetic. However I found this quote online from a Tesla sales rep:

"My name is Chanel and I’m an Inside Sales Advisor here at Tesla. Thank you for your interest in our vehicles and products. Model 3’s are leather-free because unlike Model S/X, Model 3 does not have a leather steering wheel. Please be aware that our interiors are not 100% vegan due to various adhesives that may not be actually vegan; however, It is free of any animal hides. I hope this information helps!"

Honestly, cars are inherently unethical so you are really splitting hairs here. (Synthetic hairs of course!)

Edited to add: lower spec cars e.g. "pop" Fiat 500 have plastic steering wheels and cloth seats. There must be a LOT of cars with that spec. Not sure about the gearshift gaiter though. Some older cars have those plastic "bellows" looking gaiters, that could work.

Edited by Darinz on Thursday 6th June 14:46

[designforlife]

2 seconds of google later.....

https://www.buyacar.co.uk/cars/878/vegan-friendly-...

[55palfers]

You'll may need to check the tyres are VF too. Some use an animal based stearic acid in the compound.

https://www.arnoldclark.com/newsroom/780-can-you-o...

[designforlife]

Probably best not to mention the millions of prehistoric marine animals that died to make the fuel and oil that you put in the car.

Could buy an old Izuzu and run it on vegetable oil i suppose.

[anonymous-user]

I know cars won't be 100% vegan friendly, but I want to do as much as I can, and for a start that means no leather or wool inside. Not much I can do about car tyres at the moment, or adhesives, but they are valid points.

Hopefully with the growth in the vegan movement, car manufacturers will think more deeply about making ethical cars. I'd happy pay more for a car if I knew it was vegan friendly.

[Custard400]

What you are asking for is impossible to achieve, every vehicle made and sold today contains animal derived products.

The tyres the steel the plastics and the lubricants all can contain animal products in varying degrees, you could buy a used car then you are not fueling the demand for such products directly?

The Toyota Prius and Renault twizzy are both designed to be as vegan as possible but even they contain plenty of what you don't want.

(Edit) it would appear in the time it took me to write this most of my points have already been made.

[daddy cool]

I remember when troll threads used to be good

[Integroo]

designforlife said:

Probably best not to mention the millions of prehistoric marine animals that died to make the fuel and oil that you put in the car.

Could buy an old Izuzu and run it on vegetable oil i suppose.

In fairness that's a nonsense argument - those prehistoric animals died of natural causes, and were not farmed in an arguably inhumane manner for their hides, when non-animal alternatives are available.

[Down and out]

Nissan Leaf?

[anonymous-user]

Worst troll yet, they don't even put any effort in anymore.

[Down and out]

Lettuce Elan?

[nunpuncher]

carhunter2019 said:

@RSTurboPaul is this something the dealership would be able to do? I'm eyeing up a golf S class but am worried the material at the base of the gear stick has leather - every other part is plastic the salesguy advised me.

Also, these sales guys at the dealerships don't know whether it's leather or not - too all those saying it's probably fake leather, is there any definitive way of finding out? It's very important for me so i'm holding put till I find as vegan-friendly car as possible, then will run it to the ground!

I have no idea what a Golf S Class is but I would be astounded if any model of Golf under the GTi has any real leather anywhere in it. I'd even be sceptical whether a GTi has any real leather unless the option box was ticked.