Ford branches out in composites, making auto parts from olive tree fibers

Your next dirty martini may have something in common with a future Ford Explorer or F-150 pickup.

The automaker in early January said it has successfully tested composted olive trees grown in Spain for use in composite auto parts.

Researchers in Germany combined 40 percent olive tree fibers and 60 percent recycled polypropylene, then heated the materials and injection molded it into various car parts. In a video, employees showcase a footrest for a current European market Ford Focus.

"The tests we did, the simulations showed that this material is very capable of being used in our cars," Thomas Baranowski, an injection molding specialist for Ford, said.

Ford said the composite material could both reduce its use of plastic and help it make use of some of the 7 million metric tons of olive tree waste that result from pruning every year.

The automaker has a long history of using recycled materials in its vehicles. In recent years, Ford researchers have developed auto parts out of soybeans, shredded money, coffee beans and agave plant fibers. Ford said its Bronco Sport crossover is the first vehicle to use wiring harness clips made fully from recycled ocean plastic.

The region where the trees are harvested is the world's biggest producer of olive oil, Ford said, so the material is plentiful.

Although the company said its tests were successful, it didn't indicate whether it plans to use the olive-infused parts in upcoming production vehicle models.