Many car brands are offer recycled parts in their car, but Ford thought it might ask for some extra bragging rights. Armorial claim the Bronco Sport is the first vehicle to use entirely recycled ocean plastic parts. Ford used plastic from the Arabian Sea and Indian Ocean to make the wireless harness clips on the SUV. They are as durable as previous petroleum-based clamps, but require less energy to make and even cost 10% less.
The company has been using some degree of recycled plastic for more than two decades, although it has been getting creative at the end of the year. It recently started doing F-250 fuel line clip from 3D printer waste, and used water bottles for underbody shields in 2020 Escape.
The move could be an important step towards more sustainable car production. At the same time, it shows how far Ford has to go. They are small parts in an SUV sold exclusively with an internal combustion engine – this would be heavier if they were larger parts in a mixture or pure tram. Ford vowed to keep growing electrify its lineup and explore future applications of ocean plastics. Until that happens, though, this is more of a hint of the future than a milestone.
