Tesla's Model 3 interior (even the steering wheel) is now 100% leather-free – TechCrunch

Tesla said on Saturday that its Model 3 interior is now completely free of leather, fulfilling a promise made by CEO Elon Musk at this year's annual shareholder meeting.

Tesla has been closing in on a skinless interior for a couple of years now. But one point of reference was the steering wheel, which Musk mentioned at the company's shareholder meeting in June in response to a petition from a PETA activist.

“ I think we were near to who have a non- heated steering wheel wheels, it's not leather, ”Musk said at the time. “ There are some challenges when reaches the heat on non-leather material [1[ads1]9659004] and also how well what wears over time. "

Musk said that Model Y and Model 3 would be vegan by 2020. He was not sure if the company would be able to meet the same goal for Model S and X.

Activist shareholders made suggestions in 2015 that Tesla will no longer use animal-derived leather in the interior of its electric vehicles by 2019. While shareholders rejected the proposal, Tesla began rolling out more "vegan" interior components in its cars.

The company began by offering leather-free seats as an alternative. Two years ago, Tesla made synthetic material standards in Models 3, Model X and Model S.