Tesla Offers Vegan Fake Leather Interior For Model X After PETA’s Request

By Steve Pak, | January 14, 2016

Tesla Model X

Tesla Model X

Vegans can have a difficult time buying a new high-end car as most manufacturers use leather for the interior, and it became an issue for one Tesla shareholder. Last June the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) lobbied the electric car company to build its e-cars with non-animal materials. Elon Musk is now offering a high-end all-vegan interior option for its Model X SUV that includes animal-free seats, gear shifts, and steering wheels.

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The company already offered vegan-friendly interior at the time, including synthetic cloth seating, fake leather accents, and a non-leather steering wheel, according to Business Insider. However, CEO Elon Musk promised to check out the issue.    

Veganism is a lifestyle choice that involves not eating any animal products, including meat, milk, and eggs. However, sometimes vegans eat honey. Vegans choose the lifestyle for several reasons, although some of the most common ones involve health, Earth's environment, and moral issues.

The New York Times recently shared that Tesla is offering a synthetic leather-interior. Afterwards PETA claimed Musk was providing the option for the Model X crossover SUV due to its request last June.

PETA Executive VP Tracy Reiman said in a statement that not only were Tesla's engines now eco-friendly, according to NBC Bay Area. Its animal-free seats were as well.

Tesla was bewildered by PETA's press release. The company pointed out that it has always offered non-leather options for Tesla's Electric Vehicles (EVs), so its new offering was not the first vegan-friendly one.

However, the organization's senior corporation liaison Anne Brainard clarified to Business Insider that it was praising Tesla for offering a faux-leather option. It was the first time.

Brainard explained that I in the past the synthetic leather interior was only available as a low-level interior option. However, the faux leather provides high-end interior treatments.  

The vegan interior option is becoming more common in the automotive industry and especially among producers of luxury auto models. Other automakers such as BMW, Audi, Mercedes-Benz, and Acura are taking steps to develop animal-free interiors.

Tesla is now accepting reservations for its Model X crossover SUV with a $5,000 down-payment and base price of $80,000. Delivery is scheduled for the end of 2016.

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