Cadillac’s SOLLEI EV showcases MycoWorks’ Mycelium-Based Materials

By Agroempresario.com

General Motors has introduced the SOLLEI, a concept convertible electric vehicle that integrates MycoWorks’ ‘Fine Mycelium’ bio-based materials into its luxurious interior design.

The SOLLEI, showcased as a one-off concept car, features MycoWorks’ biomaterials in various interior elements, including the charging mats on the console, door map pockets, and custom accessories. This innovative application of Fine Mycelium highlights the potential future uses of these sustainable materials in the automotive industry. Although this concept car will not generate continuous revenue for MycoWorks, it demonstrates the company's ability to develop new materials through its Fine Mycelium technology, according to the startup.

MycoWorks has been collaborating with General Motors for two years, exploring alternatives to animal leather for car interiors. The automotive-grade material used in the SOLLEI is different from the company’s flagship biomaterial, Reishi, which is used in products like bags, shoes, clothing, and furniture for luxury brands such as Hermès and Ligne Roset. CEO Matt Scullin explained that this distinct material is grown, re-tanned, and finished differently to meet the specific needs of automotive applications, although the precise properties remain proprietary.

The company’s new plant in Union, South Carolina, is continuously producing materials, collaborating with leading brands and designers across various industries, including fashion, furniture, footwear, and automotive design. MycoWorks’ Fine Mycelium offers new levels of control over natural materials, making it highly attractive to designers seeking customizable and sustainable options.

Scullin emphasized that MycoWorks is pioneering in scaling up its tray-based biomaterials process with automation, a significant achievement in the biomaterials space. This automation enables the company to produce materials with customizable thickness, weight, and mechanical properties, catering to different applications. MycoWorks' materials are renowned for their natural handfeel and haptics, which distinguish them from synthetic alternatives.

Luxury brands are particularly interested in Fine Mycelium due to its quality and sustainability. MycoWorks collaborates with top tanneries to innovate and develop new techniques for tanning Fine Mycelium for specific applications. Despite achieving production at scale, the company continuously seeks ways to improve and expand its process, constrained by the current tray size of 60 by 90 cm used at the Union facility.

Founded in 2013 by Philip Ross, Sophia Wang, and Eddie Pavlu, MycoWorks has raised significant funding, including $17 million in series A (2020), $45 million in series B (2020), $125 million in series C (2022), and an undisclosed sum from GM Ventures in 2022.

MycoWorks’ Fine Mycelium is grown via a solid-state fermentation system using recycled sawdust, limestone, and wheat bran. These materials are inoculated with MycoWorks’ fungi strains and left to grow into sheets of mycelium, which are then treated at tanneries similar to animal hides.

The Fine Mycelium process, protected by over 80 patents, involves a blend of natural ingredients to create a substrate for mycelium growth. The mycelium grows passively with occasional interventions for consistency and strength. Once fully grown, the mycelium sheets are harvested, and the substrate is recycled.

In conclusion, the SOLLEI concept car serves as a testament to the innovative potential of MycoWorks’ biomaterials, signaling a shift towards sustainable and customizable options in luxury car interiors.