New Fisker Electric Sports Car To Offer Animal-Free EcoChic Model

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by Michael dEstries January 20, 2009
Categories: Animals, Home.

fisker_chic

Car companies aren’t generally known for caring much about the ethical lifestyle choices of their customers. If you’re a vegan, vegetarian, animal-rights activist, environmentalist, etc — you’re limited in what you might expect in terms of choosing something that also gels with your lifestyle. Sure, you can grab a hybrid — but how about one with leather from animals that were raised in a humane way? Or wood paneling not sourced from live trees?

Thankfully, Fisker Automotive is no ordinary car company — and like Tesla Motors — is reshaping how vehicles can be both sexy, powerful, green, and socially responsible. At the 2009 Detroit Auto Show, the company unveiled its new all-electric Karma sedan and Fisker Karma S convertible concept. There will be three different models to choose from: the certified animal-free EcoChic model will pop at $106,000, the mid-range EcoSport will run $94,000 and the EcoBase will cost $87,900. Did I mention such choice comes with a price? From the article,

Fisker’s leather is sourced from a so-called “happy cow strategy,” with hides only from 100 percent grain- and grass-fed cattle that were never branded and free to roam. The leather is also minimally treated (saving energy) and thus has growth marks, which Schlecht likened to “the rings of a tree.” And on the animal-free model, the seats are upholstered in a soft Bamboo Viscose textile.

Fisker also has a strategy for the wood used in its vehicles: Use non-living trees. So-called Sunken Wood trim is mostly oak and sourced from the bottom of Lake Michigan. “We don’t patina the wood,” again saving energy and chemicals, says Schlecht. “It already has the look we want.” Then there’s also Rescued Wood, which is eucalyptus wood rescued from fire-ravaged areas in Orange Country, California. The center console on EcoChic models is topped off with a veneer incorporating fossilized leaves—a look that’s unlike anything we’ve ever seen in a vehicle.

Pretty cool, right? Now, if such options get noticed by the big automakers, perhaps you’ll one day as well have the option between choosing a bamboo interior or reclaimed wood paneling. Would sure be nice having just a bit more power in designing our vehicles to match our lifestyles.

Check out more on Fisker — or continue reading the article here.


Categories: Animals, Home.

About Michael dEstries

Michael has been blogging since 2005 on issues such as sustainability, renewable energy, philanthropy, and healthy living. He regularly contributes to a slew of publications, as well as consulting with companies looking to make an impact using the web and social media. He lives in Ithaca, NY with his family on an apple farm.

View all posts by Michael dEstries →

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  • http://www.vegspinz.blogspot.com DJ Karma (VegSpinz)

    Sexy car- and great name! :)

  • VeggieTart

    Not that I’ll ever own a car–I live in DC and don’t drive–but how about a car with non-leather seats?

  • Matt

    There is no humane way to slaughter an animal and rip her skin off so that it can be used to make a car seat and stick to people’s skin when they sit in a car that smells like death and formaldehyde.

    There is nothing environmentally friendly about leather either, because it has to be doused with a host of toxic, cancer causing chemicals to keep it from rotting (or biodegrading) like dead skin would normally do.

    As for grass fed cows – grass doesn’t have any painkillers that numb the suffering of having a bolt from a captive bolt gun jammed into a cows head, then being lifted up by one leg and skinned a dismembered. By the best industry estimates, as many as 5-40 percent of cows are not properly “stunned” when they are slaughtered and end up being skinned and dismembered when they are still conscious and able to feel pain. Is that humane?

    Finally, grass fed cows produce 4 times as much methane (the most powerful greenhouse gas) as grain fed cows. Grain fed cows suffer because their bodies are not meant to eat grains and because most grain fed cows are factory farmed cows.

    The humane, eco-friendly and responsible choice would be to not buy anything with leather.

    • howardroark

      so what. they’re just stupid cows. they taste good and their hide comes in handy.

      btw – the whole eco-friendly crap of this fisker article is just progaganda fluff designed to shut goofballs like you up.

    • Max

      On top of that, it is a BIG step in the right direction.

      Leather “smells like death and formaldehyde”???
      Obviously, you have never sat in a Mercedes or Ferarri (to name a few).

      Oh, and we better stop having human babies, cause we all know how much methane us humans can produce ~ ha ha!

      Try and get off your soapbox and applaude the revolution that Fisker will soon be LEADING.

  • http://www.veganeatingout.com/ Vegan Menu

    I love the bamboo idea and providing it is eco friendly I would love to see car companies start offering it. I will never buy a car with leather seats.

  • brent schomer

    Is it okay to use the parts of an animal once they have died naturally? Are we supposed to bury all of these animals or just leave them to rot or what?

  • Christine

    I am very disappointed Ecorazzi!

    How dare you propogate the myth of “humane leather.” You should be ashamed of yourselves!

    So called “happy meat”, “happy leather”, “happy fur” is just a facade for the inescapably cruelty that occurs in animal agribusiness.

    There is no such thing as humane slaughter. It is blood and death no matter what spin you try to put on it.
    And don’t kid yourself brent, no animals used for leather, fur, meat, etc. ‘die naturally’ of old age or whatever other nonsense you have in your ignorant head.
    They are MURDERED for your selfishness…so you can have leather seats, shoes, bags, etc.

    SHAME SHAME SHAME!!!!!!!!!

  • http://www.veganjapan.net herwin

    +1 !!
    in another topic leaving a silly message like “Fur Hag” at some Hollywood Stars is labeled “Vandalism”, while here this topic its all party spirits because some car company uses “Happy Cow” leather. Just because there life is less cruel than the usual factory cow, doesnt make them “happy”.

    the only animal friendly alternative is plights and syntethics etc.

    http://www.peta.org/feat/mercedes/victory.asp

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  • SuckIt

    You cry babies. Who cares about cows and how they are slaughtered. The word humane should stay out of that issue because they are COWS not humans. Crying about all that stuff is so lame and a waste of time. If you don’t agree with it then all you can do is not give those people any money. You cant stop it and it will be going on til the end of humanity, so get used to it. There are much worse events occurring all across the world outside of the U.S. So just be happy you can get online at bitch about such a thing from the comfort of your home.

  • JL

    Suckit – I care about cows and how they are slaughtered. You should know that cows who are stressed at slaughter (all factory farms, most of the smaller abattoirs as well) produce crappy meat. That final adrenaline rush does NOT taste good.

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