Veganism has enjoyed a steadily incline in popularity over the last decade, shifting from being widely ridiculed and detested to something that now seems much more reasonable, especially when paired with the climate change benefits that allegedly come with it. So, as more and more people reduced their intake of food and drink made from animal-derived products, it was only natural that veganism expanded beyond what we put on our dinner plates or even what we wear, all the way through to the cars that we drive.
If your car is equally as bad for both the environment and animals as it is for yourself, it’s probably time to sell it and move on… perhaps to a vegan-friendly vehicle? Scrap Car Comparison can help you to sell your old car as scrap or salvage for a fantastic price, and our nationwide network of buyers will even collect it for free – no matter where you are! The vehicle will be at least 95% recycled in line with government legislation, so find out how much you could make from your motor in an instant by checking out our scrap value calculator.
How Can A Car Be Vegan?
Good question. It’s probably not something that most people have ever considered while browsing the forecourts for their next vehicle. In truth, there are no totally vegan cars. The production requires the use of plastics, resins and oils that are made using animal products. For example, tallow and other animal fats are present in some of the lubricating substances that manufacturers use when constructing their cars.
But, there are other ways that car manufacturers can – and do – reduce their impact on animals, which is greatly appreciated by the vegan community. The main focus is on car interiors. We all know that a leather interior is supposed to be a sign of class and style, but it’s certainly not vegan. It doesn’t stop there, though. The use of leather and other animal-derived products like wool could be used in the production of cars, including on surfaces like door panels and steering wheels. Animal rights organisation People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) surveyed the European automotive industry to analyse which cars offer the most comprehensive vegan options to car buyers; these vehicles may not be totally vegan, but they are as close as you can currently get.
Vegan-Friendly Cars
Before we dive into it, there are a couple of things to bear in mind: Firstly, we’ve listed the number of main, named models that offer vegan interiors, without mentioning specific versions, variants or trim levels.
Secondly, remember that some manufacturers have many more cars on their roster than others. For example, Citroen currently offers eight models with vegan interiors from a catalogue that spans more than a century (and a current lineup of around 20 vehicles), whereas Polestar only offers one. However, Polestar only makes two models total, meaning their singular vegan entry is actually not so bad.
Vegan interior as standard
- Ford – ALL models
- Smart – ALL models
- Vauxhall – 18 models
- Renault – 10 models
- Citroen – 8 models
- Mercedes-Benz – 8 models
- Toyota – 8 models
- Dacia – 7 models
- Volvo – 5 models
- Jaguar – 3 models
- Kia – 3 models
- Honda – 2 models
- Peugeot – 1 model
- Tesla – 1 model
- Polestar – 1 model
Correct at time of writing (October 2022)
Vegan interior available upon request
- Citroen – 7 models
- Vauxhall – 6 models
- Honda – 2 models
- Jaguar – 2 models
- Mercedes-Benz – 2 models
- Peugeot – 2 models
- Tesla – 2 models
No vegan options available
- Audi
- Bentley
- BMW
- Bugatti
- Ferrari
- Lamborghini
- Lexus
- Mazda
- Mini
- Porsche
- Rolls-Royce
- Seat
- Skoda
- Volkswagen
No information provided
- Abarth
- Alfa Romeo
- Aston Martin
- Fiat
- Hyundai
- Isuzu
- Jeep
- Lotus
- Mitsubishi
- Nissan
- Subaru
- Suzuki
So there you have it. The results of PETA’s survey show that vegan cars are not necessarily an afterthought at the back of car designer’s minds. A nod of approval must go to Smart for fitting out their compact cars with animal-friendly interiors, while a round of applause should be directed Ford’s way for making vegan interiors standard on every vehicle in their extensive range.
The electric vehicles should also be given credit for going all-in on the environmental angle, with Tesla and Polestar offering vegan interiors on 75% and 50% of their fledgling brands, respectively. Dacia also deserves a mention for going vegan on a budget.
On the other hand, major manufacturers like Peugeot and Honda could arguably offer more, although the biggest surprise could come from Volkswagen – an immensely popular brand that offers zero vegan options, despite their environmental reputation being rocked by the 2015 emissions scandal.
Perhaps less surprising is the appearance of luxury, sports and supercars on the list of brands offering no vegan options. High society still values cow hides and sheep’s wool, it seems.
Will cars ever go fully vegan?
It’s impossible to say, of course, but humans are constantly inventing new, synthetic substances and alternatives that could one day replace the animal fats and other products that we currently rely on. If these could instead be used in the production of our vehicles, we could indeed see the first totally vegan car. Remember, though: it would have to be cheaper that the current product, otherwise no manufacturer would switch.
If your current motor just isn’t environmentally friendly enough for you (or the growing number of inner-city low-emission zones) then sell it as scrap or salvage with Scrap Car Comparison and we’ll ensure it’s properly recycled! We’ll even arrange with one of our scrap buyers to come and collect it from you, no matter where you are in the UK, so that the whole process is completed in the quickest time with the fewest number of journeys. Get a quote today and see how much money you could make by selling your car or van with Scrap Car Comparison.
