--- title: "Weird Flex, But OK: Car Company Steamrolls Seat Foam With a 20-Ton Truck to Prove It Holds Shape" date: "2026-09-21" modified: "2026-09-21" authors: - name: "Adam Ismail" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/adam-ismail.md" url: "https://www.thedrive.com/news/weird-flex-but-ok-car-company-steamrolls-seat-foam-with-a-20-ton-truck-to-prove-it-holds-shape" categories: - "Car Tech" - "News" --- # Weird Flex, But OK: Car Company Steamrolls Seat Foam With a 20-Ton Truck to Prove It Holds Shape ![Zeekr 009 seat foam about to be crushed by car]() *\Zeekr via CarNewsChina\* For all of the news that China's car industry makes for breakthroughs in, say, battery tech, it's their attention to detail that personally impresses me the most. Like how Zeekr, one of the country's leading automakers that also happens to be [affiliated with Volvo]() through their shared corporate parent, Geely, went to the trouble to re-engineer the foam used in the seats of its minivan, the Zeekr 009. And the company is so proud of the result that it put it to the test by crushing it with nine EVs, plus a tractor-trailer for good measure. We won't go too far into the weeds of foam chemistry here, but the important thing to note, courtesy of *[CarNewsChina]()*, is that Zeekr designed this material by mashing together three layers: a very resilient foam at the top, a denser material that responds more quickly below, and a big heap of soft foam at the bottom. The manufacturer says it's 1.5 times better at dampening vibration than common seat foam, so that's a great start. But how does it perform under stress? *Extreme* stress? To evaluate that, Zeekr put a block of it on the ground and drove over it with 10 vehicles, starting with nine of its own passenger EVs. Given that we're talking about battery-electric cars, that procession would've been especially heavy. But, as if that wasn't enough, the company sent a 20-ton semi-truck to crush the foam too, and see what, if any, damage would result. Would it be smushed like a Tempur-Pedic mattress? Permanently deformed? Or would it bounce right back up? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zaSOMqIxqEQ As you probably guessed, Zeekr likely wouldn't have gone to the trouble of making a video like this if the latter scenario wasn't virtually guaranteed. The foam block is stained with tire particles and road detritus, of course, but running back the same test from earlier in the video, with a glass of water sat atop the block, demonstrates that the very same piece of foam is still performing adequately and vibrating less than the store-brand stuff. Is this exercise weird? Of course! Does any of this guarantee that the Zeekr 009's seats won't stand up to a decade of normal wear and tear from the repeated forces of butts? Nope. But it's a focus on the little things, which I appreciate. And no matter how your next car is powered, or whether you drive it or it drives itself, seat comfort's going to matter. I suppose that's one refreshing constant of this ever-changing world. *Got a news tip? Hit up tips@thedrive.com* ## Author Adam is a Senior Editor at The Drive, concentrating on curating and developing the site's slate of daily journalism, from initial pitch to final copy edit. When he's not at his desk researching leads and working with writers, he's testing vehicles or reviewing racing games, new and old. He joined The Drive in 2023, following seven years of covering consumer technology and cars. A car lover and gamer since his earliest memories, Adam came to know the automotive world through video games. First it was Daytona USA, Sega Rally, and Ridge Racer; then came Need For Speed, which inspired an encyclopedic knowledge of '90s supercars, and, of course, Gran Turismo. If not for them, he'd assuredly be doing something else right now. Adam is based in the suburbs outside Philly, where there are ample roads for his hot hatch to stretch its legs. In his car, he's probably listening to indie rock, drum and bass, or Yankees baseball. ### Author social links [Bluesky]() [Instagram]() [LinkedIn]()