FLEETDRIVE
Luxury floormats from regenerated nylon
If you manage a fleet with premium EVs like the Polestar 2, BMW i4, or Mercedes S-Class, look down at your feet. Those luxury floor mats are likely made of ECONYL ®, a 100 per cent regenerated nylon sourced from discarded ocean fishing nets, old carpets, and industrial waste.
ECONYL can be recycled infinitely without losing quality. Every step inside the cabin helps clean up marine ecosystems.
Next time a driver complains about interior spec, remind them they ' re standing on rescued ocean plastic.
Dandelions are taking the fast lane
Tyre manufacturers are racing to break their dependence on traditional rubber trees( which risk deforestation) and petroleum-based synthetics.
Continental cracked the code with Taraxagum, natural rubber harvested from a fast-growing species of Russian dandelion. These hardy weeds mature in just one year, thrive on agricultural wasteland unsuitable for food crops, and can be grown locally, slashing supply chain emissions.
Vibrating roads that power the grid
Engineers globally have been testing piezoelectric crystals embedded directly into busy highway asphalt. When heavy fleet trucks roll over the surface, their weight squeezes these crystals, converting kinetic energy into electricity.
Pilot projects in Israel and California have already generated enough power to run streetlights and traffic signals. Your morning commute might one day charge the grid while you ' re stuck in traffic.
Sustainability isn ' t just about swapping petrol for electrons. It ' s dandelion tyres, nappy dashboards, and highways that harvest your horsepower. The future of fleet is delightfully strange and greener than ever.
ISSUE 59 JUNE 2026 / WWW. AFMA. ORG. AU 43