Car-leasing comparison website Lease Fetcher has created a guide to vegan cars that explores interiors, exteriors and the manufacturer’s ethics.
Just about every major car manufacturer is working hard to create new sustainable and ethical material options for its latest models. Leather doesn’t equal luxury anymore. This is obviously great news for vegan drivers. It’s simple to swap out leather for a premium vegan alternative.
But is that all you can do to ensure your next set of wheels is as vegan as possible?
Car-leasing comparison website Lease Fetcher has created a guide to vegan cars to help cover all the bases when verifying the vegan status of car models.
The guide explores elements beyond leather, such as the tyres, which may be manufactured using plant- or animal-derived stearic acid. It also examines components like the infotainment screens and the steel frame itself. LCD screens sometimes contain crystals derived from animal cholesterol and the steel frame may be lubricated with animal fats. Consumers would need to contact the manufacturer directly to see if these elements are vegan-friendly.
Finding information about the LCD display and steel frame may be tricky, so it’s important to bear in mind that you should strive to be vegan “as far is possible and practical”. Dominika Piasecka of the Vegan Society says: “Avoiding leather is a practical thing we can do while buying a car, while we can’t of course avoid tyres or steel.”
Lease Fetcher founder Will Craig said: “When we first began our research for this guide, we realised that there is so much focus on the vegan status of physical materials. Lots of people overlook the values and principles of the company itself. Some vegans are not comfortable buying vegan products from a meat manufacturer. Likewise, some vegans are not comfortable buying a vegan car from a manufacturer who doesn’t carry these values extensively throughout the rest of their business practices.”
Beyond the physical components of a car, the ethics of the wider company should play a part in your purchase considerations. Factors like the manufacturer’s track record of animal testing, the breadth of its vegan range relative to its animal product range, and its commitment to advancing technology to better the environment are all major factors to consider.
There are a fair few factors to consider if you’re in the market for a new car. With Lease Fetcher’s vegan car guide and checklist, consumers can make a decision they are comfortable with.
