After the passing of the 2018 Farm Bill, which effectively opened the floodgates for legal exploration involving industrial hemp and a slew of other hemp-based products, we’ve collectively bore witness to some pretty major innovations. There’s no denying that hemp has a longstanding history with a wide range of uses, but we’re only now coming to fully realize how these alternative applications can benefit our modern world.
Hemp feels especially relevant as we look to more sustainable alternatives, especially as it pertains to commercial and industrial products like rope, textiles, clothing, shoes, food, paper, bioplastics—the list goes on.
One of the more recent innovations is the use of hemp among vehicle manufacturers. Recently, electric motorcycle manufacturer LiveWire announced that it has utilized hemp in the design of its S2 Mulholland.
The motorcycle went on sale last month and represents a “shift in design at LiveWire as the company has reimagined the profile and silhouette of the motorcycle—traditionally informed by the gas tank—while also using sustainable materials in key components for the first time,” according to a company press release.
The motorcycle’s front and rear fenders are manufactured using CAP hemp bio-composite, though this is just one of the sustainable materials that LiveWire has utilized for the vehicle. Additionally, the Mulholland includes HYLON OCEAN materials in the motorcycle’s radiator shrouds and wiring caddies, which are created from discarded ocean fishing nets. The seat is also constructed from petroleum-free, recyclable silicone instead of leather or vinyl.
LiveWire also notes that the Mulholland will be available in an “eco-friendlier” unpainted Lunar White finish, “that that elevates the CAP Hemp material while minimizing the use of traditional plastics and paints—efforts unseen in this category prior to the launch of Mulholland.”
The motorcycle weighs 432 pounds, with 84 horsepower and 194 ft-lb or torque allowing for a 3.3 second time from zero to 60 miles per hour. The 10.5 kWh lithium-ion battery pack can achieve up to 121 miles of city riding range and 73 miles of highway range at 55 miles per hour, with charging times to take the battery pack from 20% to 80% noted as 5.9 hours (L1 charging) and 78 minutes (L2).
The motorcycle is priced at $15,999 USD and $21,999 CAD, and while it is currently only available in the U.S. and Canada, deliveries for additional unspecified markets are planned for next year.
While this is the first time that LiveWire has taken the leap toward embracing hemp-based alternatives, it isn’t the first vehicle manufacturer to experiment with the material.
BMW has used hemp for some time, utilizing the material for lining of door panels in its electric i3 and more broadly aiming to use natural materials over petrochemical options. The company’s aims largely reflect some of the broader motivations surrounding the use of hemp bioplastics in vehicles and otherwise, essentially cutting down on the use of oil-based primary plastics to pivot toward the use of more recycled materials.
Other European car companies, like Volo, Porsche, Mercedes, Audi and Volkswagen and Peugeot, have used hemp composites to build body panels, kick pads, cup holders, wheel wells, dashboard panels, interior door panels, upholstery, seatbacks, door cladding, foam seating, floor insulation, panel trim and center consoles, according to a 2016 Center for Automotive Research report.
Looking back much further, Henry Ford unveiled a car made from hemp and soybean plastic in 1942. So while this idea is far from new, it surely appears that now is the opportune time for hemp-based plastic use in vehicles to finally gain some traction.
This also represents a much broader trend pointing to the potential hemp has to offer in regard to a wide array of industries and potential usages.
Many companies and manufacturers are taking to hemp’s potential as a textile, with rising products like hemp shoes and hemp denim making waves in the fashion industry. As a testament to just how versatile hemp can be, it’s also being used as a steel rebar alternative, a material used to create homes and even working to power batteries.
