Matchbox Goes Green: The ICE vs. EV Battle Comes to 1:64 Scale

by Peter Ciani for RPM News Weekly ~

As the life-size electric vehicle competition heats up, Mattel toys recently announced that their popular Matchbox series will be bringing the ICE versus EV battle to the 1:64 scale.

One could assume that a small toy car with no engine is pretty much eco-green already, but you’d be wrong. Sure the cars themselves aren’t very big, but when you factor in how many are sold each year plus the packaging and numerous playsets that are available, the amount of plastic that’s being produced really starts to add up.

The goal that Mattel recently laid out in their product roadmap is to use recyclable materials in making all die-cast cars, playsets, and packaging. This includes the use of 100% recycled, recyclable or bio-based plastics by 2030, and it falls in line with the company’s overall goal to do the same across all of its product lines.

The goal of using more sustainable packaging is not a new idea for Mattel. In 2011 the brand announced a commitment to using mostly sustainably sourced paper and wood fiber across their entire business – including product packaging. The company now uses 93 percent recycled or sustainable wood fibers in their packaging and products, exceeding their 2018 goal of 90 percent.

Even though Mattel’s plans to go green are a company-wide initiative, there’s more to the story than eco-friendly packaging. It’s also about education, for which the company sees the Matchbox brand being uniquely positioned to educate and inspire children about the importance of eco-conscious behavior and eco-friendly transportation. Matchbox has been inspiring children to play with cars since 1953.

Calling it inspiration through representation, Matchbox plans to expand the presence of electric and hybrid cars across their product lineup saying, “Kids drive their adventures with authentic Matchbox®  die-cast vehicles, including the electric and hybrid vehicles they see on the roads every day. We are increasing the representation of such vehicles in our product line, while also integrating eco-conscious behaviors and themes into our large vehicles and playsets, such as our Matchbox Recycling Truck and the recent Matchbox Action Drivers™ Fuel Station, which includes an EV charging station.”

Of course, what better way to kick off this new green initiative, than the long-awaited (in real life) Tesla Roadster. The special edition Matchbox Tesla Roadster will be made of 99% recycled materials and will go on sale in 2022, which ironically could beat the real Tesla version to market. Collectors likely will snatch these miniature Tesla Roadsters up in no time, just like the real-world counterpart. 

Mattel’s Tesla Roadster will come encased in the new Matchbox plastic-free packaging as seen in the brand’s PowerGrabs line. 

Curiously, Matchbox claims that its PowerGrabs packaging is the first Matchbox product to feature 100% plastic-free packaging. Technically, that’s incorrect considering its original toy car packaging was indeed a paper matchbox, or at least a simulation one. The familiar plastic blister packs didn’t make their debut until sometime in the 1980s. 

Mattel made no mention of the car lineup from Hot Wheels – Matchbox’s chief rival that also happens to be owned by Mattel. Since this is a company-wide initiative, it’s safe to assume that Hot Wheels will eventually follow suit, but for now, to borrow a popular slogan from Hot Wheels, it appears that Matchbox will be “leading the way” on this.