# Hemp Cars Lotus Uses Hemp for Eco Friendly Body Panels By Going Like Sixty | Published 2008-07-15 | Autos Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/lotus-uses-hemp-for-body-panels References: [greenupgrader](http://greenupgrader.com/2448/lotus-eco-elise-taking-sustainability-up-a-notch/) [Lotus](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/lotus-eletre) motors is searching hard for a car that will represent the 3 R's: Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle. One of the ingenious ways they are reducing car weight is by making [body panels](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/supreme-group) out of [hemp composites](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/garden-office-1) in the Eco Elise. Hemp takes very little energy to produce. By mixing it with a polyester resin a body panel can be produced. Lotus has reduced electricty bo 14%, gas by 30% and water 11% at their Hethel, England headquarters. If they can get this concept car to market, their green cause will be greatly enhanced. Here's a little more about eco friendly Lotus cars: ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 3.9/10 - Popularity: 70% | Activity: 38% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 70% men, 30% women - Primary generations: Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America, Europe, Asia ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Autos](https://www.trendhunter.com/autos) ## Key Themes ### Key Themes Behind This Trend - **Eco-friendly Composites:** Manufacturing sustainable composites for automotive could reduce the environmental impact of car manufacturing. - **Bio-based Materials:** Adopting bio-based materials, such as hemp composites, could lead to more sustainable solutions in the automotive industry. - **Circular Economy:** Adopting a circular economy approach to car manufacturing could increase sustainability and reduce waste. ### Where This Applies - **Automotive:** Incorporating bio-based materials in car manufacturing could reduce the carbon footprint and increase sustainability. - **Materials Science:** Developing sustainable composite materials for the manufacturing of products could lead to a more sustainable future. - **Sustainability:** Embracing sustainable practices in the manufacturing of products could minimize negative environmental impact. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [British Electric Sports Cars](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/lotus-eletre.md) - [Comfort-Centric Electric Cars](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/eletre-suv.md) - [All-Chassis Sports Car Concepts](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/lotus-evanora-concept.md) - [Sustainable Hemp Bedding](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/casa-parini.md) - [Plant Fibre-Based E-Bikes](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/hummingbird-flax.md) - [Plant-Based Car Leather](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/leather-alternative-1.md) - [Plant-Based Steel Rebar Alternatives](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/hemp-rebar.md) - [Sustainable Luxury Vehicle Interiors](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/odyssean-edition.md) - [Immersive Ultra-Fast Electric Vehicles](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/emeya.md)