Green bites back: Squirrel feasts on eco-friendly car made with plant based plastics

Hungry? A driver claims squirrels started 'eating' his Toyota Aygo - because of eco-friendly plastics

A driver has claimed squirrels 'ate' his new Toyota Aygo after the firm began using eco-friendly plastics to boost its green credentials.

Tony Steeles said his car was repeatedly attacked by the rodents only days after it was delivered.

'The aerial's been chewed off twice, the oxygen sensor's been damaged and various rubber-like trim parts have been chewed and damaged,' he told motoring magazine Auto Express.

'The car's been back for repairs four or five times.'

As no other vehicles parked nearby have been attacked, Mr Steeles, from Croydon, south London, questioned whether Toyota's use of plant-based plastics might be attracting the hungry squirrels.

Door trims, seat cushions, spare tyre covers and boot liners are among the parts that the Japanese firm now makes with materials derived from natural sources, such as the castor oil plant.

Mr Steeles's dealer, Jemca Croydon, insisted there was no link between his car's plastics and the rodent attacks.

But it paid for the repairs each time he returned the car, and eventually swapped it for a new Toyota Yaris.

A Toyota spokesman told Auto Express that the problem was 'unusual', adding: 'We have very few complaints of this occurring in the UK.'

However, he said the firm's research and development teams would 'investigate if any improvements can be made to the design of our products to deter rodents'.

Tasty: The Toyota Aygo is one of several cars being made with the new range of eco-friendly plastics

Auto Express editor-in chief, Steve Fowler, said: 'It's an admirable eco trend to manufacture car parts from plants, but could this green-fingered fad be making new motors irresistible to hungry wildlife?

'We've always thought the Toyota Aygo was a tasty little car, but this is really taking the biscuit - or plant-based parcel shelf.'

Mr Steeles said he wasn't taking any chances with his new Yaris, and now stores it in a garage overnight.

Toyota is not the only car manufacturer embracing unusual new materials.

Ford announced last year that it was working with food giant Heinz to see if dried tomato skins left over from making ketchup could be used to develop an alternative to petroleum-based plastic.

And British sports car maker Lotus has experimented with body panels made from hemp fibres.

Food sources such as soy, peanut oil and even rice husks are used by some manufacturers, according to Auto Express.

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