Source：China Plastics News

Increased use of plastics in automotive applications has been on a decades-long and incremental journey of greater acceptance.

With new applications that continually challenge the use of metals in vehicles, plastics now consist of about 50 percent of the volume of a typical vehicle, said Frank Macher, chairman and CEO of Continental Structural Plastics Inc. of Auburn Hills, Mich.

And Macher said he believes there will be a continued increase in use of plastics — both alone and in conjunction with other materials — as vehicles makers continue to push for lighter weights.

The reason is simple: federal mileage standards, which are slated to rise to 54.5 miles per gallon in 2025.

Car makers see lighter weight vehicles as one way to help boost fuel mileage. That’s because a 10-percent weight savings can translate into a 6 to 8 percent increase in fuel economy, Macher said. “It’s an irreversible mandate that cars get lighter and cars get more efficient,” he said.

Along with using parts made only of plastics, Macher said, future solutions also will include use of plastics in conjunction with other materials such as metals and glass. These days, the average vehicle has more than 2,000 plastic or composite parts, he said.

While plastics make up about 50 percent of the volume of a typical vehicle, the material only accounts for about 10 percent of the weight. This has allowed vehicles to become more sophisticated — think electronics, accessories, safety features — over time without dramatically increasing the overall weight.