Driving Sustainability: Evolution and Technological Progress of Automotive Biocomposites

January 16, 2026

Clear insight into competitor positioning and market share.

Biocomposite materials are composite materials in which at least one of the constituents is derived from natural sources. This includes composite materials made from the combination of:

Petroleum—derived polymers reinforced with natural fiber.
Biopolymers reinforced with natural fiber.
Biopolymers reinforced with synthetic fiber.

Biocomposites offer favorable attributes such as environmental friendliness, light weight, high mechanical strength, thermostability and chemical resistance. Combined with their performance-to-cost ratio, these qualities make them well suited for advanced applications, including automotive use.

Biocomposites provide various advantages for automotive applications. As lightweight materials, they help reduce vehicle weight and lower greenhouse gas emissions. Compared with composites of nonrenewable origin, biocomposites proffer superior acoustic and thermal properties, making them suitable for vehicles’ interior parts. Their characteristics give them wide potential in the automotive sector, particularly for nonstructural interior components, including wood trim, seat fillers, seat backs, headliners, interior panels, dashboards and thermo-acoustic insulation.

In the automotive sector, common natural reinforcements such as wood fibers can be utilized to make Wood-Plastic Composites (WPC), whereas natural fibers from flax, hemp, kenaf, jute, sisal, abaca, banana, coconut, coir, cotton, recycled fiberwood, wood, wood flour and wool can be used to develop Natural Fiber Composites (NFC).

Thermoplastic and thermosetting matrices are used in combination with these reinforcements. A variety of thermoplastic matrix options are available, including biodegradable polyesters (polylactic acid and polyhydroxybutyrate), natural polymers (cellulose and natural rubber), and commodity polymers with bio-based content (bio-polyethylene, bio-propylene and bio-polycarbonate). Multiple thermoplastic biopolymers come from the fermentation of starch and glucose. Options in terms of thermosetting matrices include standard resins with bio-based content from natural oils and bioethanol.

Evolution of Automotive Biocomposites

Decade	Key Milestone
1941s–1950s	Ø 1941: Henry Ford introduced the concept of a car with panels made from a plant-based derivative, which was soybean. It presented the idea of replacing steel panels with lightweight, plant-based plastics.
1950s–1960s	Ø 1957: East Germany's AWZ P70 and, after that, the Trabant utilized duroplast for body panels, one of the earliest real-world uses of fiber-reinforced plastics in automobile bodies. This demonstrated that plastics could be utilized on a manufacturing scale for body panels.
1990s–2000s	Ø During the 1990s, wood floors and coconut shell fibers were utilized in the car interior parts. Ø In 1994, Mercedes' R&D department began using jute-reinforced polymers for the door panels in the E-class models.
2000–2010	Ø 2001: The first automaker to use EcoCor, a bio-based composite created by Johnson Controls that contained kenaf, hemp and polypropylene for the door panels of the Sebring. Ø 2006: Mazda started creating bioplastics and branded them under its Mazda Biotechmaterial program. Mazda and Teijin codeveloped BIOFRONT, the first mass-produced stereocomplex PLA. It's used in car seat fabric, as well as for floor mats, pillar covers, door trims, front panels and ceiling materials.
2010–2020	Ø 2015: Researchers combined knowledge on natural-fiber reinforced polymers and biodegradable matrices, identifying advantages and challenges. Most work remained at the component prototype scale. Ø 2016 to 2017: The raw material supplier introduced innovative materials for automotive parts, and automotive manufacturers began adopting these materials in their car manufacturing processes. For instance, working with BASF Corporation, Germany-based International Automotive Components (IAC) has launched its FiberFrame natural fiber sunroof frame on the 2017 Mercedes-Benz E-Class, which is reportedly the first automotive roof frame entirely made of nonwoven natural fiber composites.
2020–2024	Ø 2024: Strategic collaborations were formed to ensure the scale and quality of natural fiber composite production for automotive manufacturing. For example, Bcomp and SFG Composites collaborated to scale sustainable flax fiber composites for the automotive sector.

Source: Company website, published articles and press releases

Increasing Adoption of Biocomposite by Automotive Manufacturers

All leading vehicle manufacturers globally use bioplastics and bio-based plastics, including natural-fiber composites and engineering plastics reinforced with natural fibers such as flax, hemp, jute and sisal. Moreover, Ford vehicles now use eight sustainable materials, including soy foam, wheat straw, kenaf fiber, cellulose, wood, coconut fiber, rice hull and agave fibers from the tequila industry's waste. Ford announced that it will focus on eliminating single-use plastics by 2030. Furthermore, Toyota's sustainable development goals for 2050 address the challenge of establishing a recycling-based society and systems whose primary purpose is to reduce the consumption of dwindling natural resources by utilizing renewable resources and recycled materials. The goals include reducing petroleum-based plastics by developing recycled and eco-plastic technology, meeting quality and performance requirements, and establishing collection systems for used plastics. Audi announced its goal to recycle mixed automotive plastic waste in a resource-conserving, closed-loop system. The following table lists the automotive manufacturers' use of natural fiber composites in various applications.

Manufacturer	Automotive Parts
Audi	Seat back, boot lining, hat rack, spare-tire lining, side and back door panel
Citroen	Interior door paneling
BMW	Door panels, headliner panel, boot lining, seat back, noise insulation panels and molded foot well lining
Lotus	Body panels, spoiler, seats and interior carpets
Fiat	Door panel
Opel	Instrumental panel, headliner panel, door panels and pillar cover panel
Rover	Insulation and rear storage shelf or panel
Toyota	Door panels, seat backs, floor mats and spare tire cover
Volkswagen	Door panel, seat back, boot-lid finish panel and boot-liner
Mitsubishi	Cargo area floor, door panels and instrument panels
Daimler-Benz	Door panels, windshield or dashboard, business table, pillar cover panel, glove box, instrumental panel support, insulation, molding rod or apertures, seat backrest panel, trunk panel, seat surface or backrest, internal engine cover, engine insulation, sun visor, bumper, wheel box, roof cover
Honda	Cargo area
Volvo	Seat padding, natural foams and cargo floor tray
General Motors	Seat backs and cargo area floor
Saturn	Package trays and door panel
Ford	Floor trays, door panels, B-pillar and boot liner

Source: Automotive use of natural-fiber-reinforced polymer composites, National Library of Medicine, 2022

Innovations in Carbon Dioxide-based Biocomposites for Automotive

Future Outlook

The potential of automobile biocomposites to serve as 'green' substitutes for petroleum-based plastics and to reduce carbon emissions while contributing to achieving net-zero mobility is promising. Their growing priority to automobile manufacturers is due to the lightweight, recyclable and low-carbon attributes of biocomposites. Biocomposites, made with bio-based polymers and natural fibers such as flax, hemp, kenaf and jute, offer automakers an ideal sustainable solution. Adoption is growing from interior automobile parts to more visible and semi-structural components, mainly due to the EU Green Deal and corporate environmental, social and governance (ESG) objectives. However, guaranteed investments, fuel supply, and practical, sustainable policies will be required to facilitate more extensive deployments and use of biocomposites.

The cost-effective and commercially viable use of biocomposites has been made possible by recent advances in fiber treatment, hybrid design and energy-efficient processing of biocomposites. Biocomposites will be essential in attaining the required carbon neutrality and will be used to manufacture the more sustainable vehicles that the market and current automotive manufacturers demand. Biocomposites positioned within the circular bioeconomy and utilized in the automotive industry will enhance resource efficiency, recyclability and reduce emissions. This will facilitate the transition of the automotive industry to the bioeconomy.

Strategic Takeaways for Industry Leaders

The automotive biocomposite market is moving from early innovation to broader commercialization. This shift is due to the automotive industry's attention to carbon neutrality, circular material use, and the goals for eco-friendly mobility. The automotive industry is increasingly turning to renewable, naturally sourced fibers and biopolymers, driven by the growth of eco-friendly regulations, green public procurement and circular economy approaches in the world's automotive manufacturing regions.

Strategic partnerships within the automotive value chain, including material suppliers, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and recyclers, will enable continued innovation, consistency in quality, and reliability of supply for the materials needed. These partnerships can offer a meaningful market and regulatory edge by targeting critical elements, such as lightweight construction, recyclability and greenhouse gas emissions throughout the product's lifecycle.

Automakers looking for reliable partners in 'green' materials will value industry leaders who invest in advanced fiber treatment, hybrid biocomposite designs and scalable bio-based production. Joint ESG initiatives and transparent carbon footprinting will build brand, market and investment value, positioning companies as leaders in the automotive materials industry.

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