As the green cars become the latest fad in the automobile industry, the manufacturers are also working on the interiors of their cars to make them as eco-friendly as ever. Working on similar lines is our Dearborn automaker Ford Motor Company, who has announced eco-friendly seats for its upcoming 2011 Ford Explorer.

The bio-based polyurethane foam known as the soy foam, will now feature in seat cushions and seatbacks of the 2011 Explorer. The 2011 Explorer will become the 23rd model to get the soy foam.  To name a few others are Ford Taurus, Mustang, F-150, Focus, Flex, Crown Victoria, Escape, Edge and so on.

Soy foam has helped Ford reduce its annual petroleum oil usage by more than 3 million pounds, and is up to 24 percent more renewable than petroleum-based foam. It has also helped the company reduce its carbon dioxide emissions by 11 million pounds as the biomaterial provides a 67 percent reduction in volatile organic compounds emissions.

“The new Explorer will deliver fuel economy at least 25 percent better than the current model as well as include sustainable materials like soy foam seat cushions and other eco-friendly features we will detail soon,” said Amy Marentic, group marketing manager, Ford cars and CUVs.

Ford said that the addition of soy foam in the Explorer showed company’s commitment to using more sustainable materials in all its vehicles. Also as per company plans, by the end of 2010 nearly 100 percent of Ford’s American lineup will feature the eco-friendly material.

via egmcartech