Reducing weight: Less is more
Weight reduction is already a major trend in the automotive market. But when you consider that the average vehicle has some 30,000 parts, it’s clear we have barely scratched the surface when it comes to solutions like metal replacement.
Already the average vehicle contains between 20 to 40 kilograms of engineering plastics. By replacing metals with next-generation engineering plastics it will be possible to reduce weight of various vehicle components by up to 50 percent in the years ahead.
At DSM we are achieving this goal using materials from our growing portfolio of ECO+ solutions – defined as materials that have a proven environmental benefit over traditional equivalents.
Not only is this helping preserve oil and petrol consumption but it’s also helping our customers remain competitive. In Europe, for example, strict carbon emission limits come into effect in 2012 that could run into millions of Euros in fines. In high-growth economies, meanwhile, we’re increasingly seeing various incentives and subsidies being offered to manufacturers and consumers who produce (and therefore buy) greener cars.
Weight reduction applications
Because plastics are strong and tough yet flexible, they can be used in many parts of the vehicle including high-temperature and under-the-hood applications; and in components where good dimensional stability is key to production and use - for example EPS housings and pump components, as well as in brake boosters.