PETA Pressures Tesla To Become Vegan - How Long Until Faux Leather Becomes Politically Correct In Luxury Cars?

Even as it presses for more environmental responsibility, electric-car maker Tesla Motors is now under pressure from People for Ethical Treatment of Animals to drop leather seats.

A proposal from a shareholder asked the company to eliminate use of "animal-sourced materials" in its luxury electric cars by 2019. It and another proposal were soundly defeated when the vote count was announced Wednesday night.

But the issue may not go away. At the stockholders meeting, a PETA representative urged fellow shareholders to make sure Teslas go "vegan" on interiors.

In its proxy statement, Tesla's board of directors asked shareholders to reject the two proposals related to "cruelty-free materials." The board says "exploring alternatives would impede or delay us" in a company that is growing at a rate of about 50% a year. Tesla CEO Elon Musk said after listening to PETA representative Stephanie Downs that he'd be willing to consider the issue.

Vette71 - 6/11/2015 2:08:16 PM

+2 Boost

As long as the world keeps eating beef and vegans remain a tiny portion of the population there will be hides to make real leather. It is far superior natural product over the fake leather that MB and VW push, those being like the vinyl in US cars in the 60's. The fake leather is hard, doesn't breath, makes you sweat, etc. etc.

TheSteve - 6/11/2015 2:29:33 PM

+5 Boost

I, like almost all other humans, have incisor teeth. They're a nod to my nearly 3.2 million year lineage of being an omnivore. I don't have a shred of political correctness in me. I'm wearing a leather belt. I just took off my leather shoes after I drove home in my car with leather upholstery. I had a steak last night, with mushrooms and veggies, so the PETA folks should be happy I had some plants and fungus murdered in their honor.

If someone wants to be a vegetarian or vegan, for whatever reasons -- moral, environmental, religious -- *that's* their business, and god bless 'em. My lifestyle choices are *my* decision, and I feel good about them. BTW, I love my car's leather interior :-)

USNA1999 - 6/11/2015 5:30:40 PM

+4 Boost

Screw PETA!

MDarringer - 6/11/2015 6:27:18 PM

+3 Boost

I agree.

MDarringer - 6/11/2015 6:29:33 PM

+4 Boost

PETA simply has no right to enforce its religion on everyone else. If they can't buy a Tesla because of leather, so what? Tesla sales will not falter. Besides, should all PETA people drive Mitsubishi Mieages and channel all their disposable income into rescuing animals instead of drive $100K EVs?

vdiv - 6/12/2015 11:22:32 AM

+1 Boost

Agree, however in the same spirit Tesla and the rest of the industry should not force leather trims by requiring them with other features and options (i.e. the only way to get those options is to get leather) and by limiting other upholstery and color options such as faux leather and textile.

vogeygolf - 6/12/2015 8:32:06 AM

+3 Boost

PETA
People eating tasty animals

LucyP - 6/12/2015 1:44:00 PM

0 Boost

If Tesla is going to talk the “environmentally responsible” talk, they should walk the walk. Leather production is one of the most polluting, damaging manufacturing processes on earth. It uses massive amounts of energy and harmful chemicals such as mineral salts, formaldehyde, coal-tar derivatives, and cyanide-based oils, dyes, and finishes. There are so many materials that are easier on the earth (not to mention animals).

Vette71 - 6/12/2015 5:38:53 PM

+1 Boost

Check out auto interiors. If not leather then plastic based interiors are the alternative. At least that it comes from natural gas rather than heavy oil. It would be interesting to compare tanning's damaging process here to what it takes to make the batteries of a Tesla.

trmckin - 6/13/2015 9:20:00 AM

+2 Boost

Hmm... Just sounds like a lot of wasted hides off of all those tasty steaks and burgers we consume in this world. I prefer the older ways of life where you don't waste the animal so.... Tan those hides! Seems a better solution would be to find a more environmentally friendly way to prep the leather than it is to waste all of it in the name of PETA or some other interest group. I digress... Need to go snag some lumber in my leather wrapped f-150 platinum ;). Love the smell of cedar and leather on a Saturday morning.