Automotive_EN_HIGH_RES_PRINT_PlasticsEurope AUTOMOTIVE 22/09/14 10:25 Page 1

Automotive
The world moves with plastics
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Plastics enable resource efficient mobility

“Curbing mobility is not an option. Neither is business as usual. We can break the transport system’s
dependence on oil without sacrificing its efficiency and compromising mobility – it can be win-win.”
Siim Kallas, Vice-President of the European Commission and Commissioner for Transport1

Plastics enable resource efficient mobility and better Plastics have revolutionised the construction,
functionality by replacing heavier, traditional materials performance, safety and functionality of cars.
by lightweight plastic materials. Through an increased Single mould components have helped manufacturers
use of plastics, automotive manufacturers can address to decrease vehicle assembly time, quickly introduce
growing environmental concerns, ever tougher design innovations and trim costs. Plastics help to
legislative measures aimed at breaking the dependence make cars lighter, thus reducing fuel demand and
on oil and reducing man-made emissions that threaten greenhouse gas emissions. Reducing a modern car’s
the environment. Using more plastics also helps the car weight by 100 kg cuts fuel consumption by
makers to overcome the economic impacts of the global approximately 0.4 litres per 100 km and reduces
crisis which led to profound changes in global CO2 emissions by around 10 g/km. Elsewhere, durable
manufacturing. polyester fibres have made seat belts a reality whilst
high-strength nylon has led to the introduction of
The use of plastics in the construction of automobiles airbags in cars.
gathered pace during the 1950s and it is now hard to
imagine a car without plastics. Under the bonnet, plastics help the functionality of
The average modern car weighing 1,500 kg contains cars, as for example with the Air Intake Manifold,
between 12-15% of plastic materials2. This equates to which today is made of glass fibre reinforced plastics,
over 2,000 plastic parts of all shapes and sizes; from allowing for optimised air flow, design freedom and
lights and bumpers, to engine components, dash- general reductions in weight and cost.
boards, headrests, switches, clips, panoramic roofs,
seats, airbags and seat belts. So it’s no surprise that With growing global pressure to reduce greenhouse
plastics are now the second most commonly used gases – the EU has devised a roadmap for moving to
material in automobile manufacture. a competitive low-carbon economy by 2050 – the
automotive industry continues to look for ways to
reduce emissions. Plastics are now contributing to a
Metal
74% number of exciting innovations in this field, including
key components for electric, hybrid and hydrogen-
powered vehicles.

THE PLASTICS
1. http://ec.europa.eu/commission_2010-2014/kallas/headlines/news/
PERCENTAGE IN
LIGHT VEHICLES 2011/03/2011_03_28_white_paper_en.htm
DECEMBER 2012
(MEDIUM SIZED CAR)
2. Plastics content heavily depends on the type of vehicle,
on the (extra) equipment, etc.

Others
2%

Organic
materials
1%
Fluids
3% Plastics
Glass 12%
Elastomers
3%
5%

Source: Association Française de Mécanique (AFM) 1

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Plastics save energy and reduce CO2 emissions

The drive for lower CO2 emissions continues to gather Weight loss is thus critical if CO2 emissions and the
momentum in the twenty-first century. The use of associated fuel costs of a car are to be reduced.
innovative plastics in cars is helping the automotive Reducing the weight of the bodywork of an average
industry to cut both costs and emissions. car by 100 kg cuts the CO2 emissions by 10 gr/km.
The weight savings of all the plastic parts used
The EU Regulation EC 443/2009 on CO2 and cars thus represent a reduction of 750 litres over the
states that the EU car manufacturers’ fleet average 150,000 km life of an average car. These weight
has to be aligned with 130 g CO2/km, partially as of savings also represent a cost reduction for the
2012 and completely by 2015. In addition, the inte- consumer of approximately 1,000 EUR
grated approach measures (e.g. eco-innovations) (at 1.33 EUR/litre).
should bring the average emission to 120 g CO2/km.
Fuel consumption

Car weight

Evolution of CO2 emissions from new passenger cars by fuel (EU-27*)

gCO2/km
250

200

150

130 gCO2/km
100

95 gCO2/km
50

0
2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020
Petrol Diesel AFV (Alternative Fuels Vehicles)

* The geographical scope of the data changes over time from the EU-15 to the EU-25 and the EU-27.
Source: EEA report – Monitoring CO2 emissions from new passenger cars in the EU – data 2012
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Plastics are crucial for passenger safety

As cars become lighter there might be a concern that Children in cars need appropriate child restraints for
safety is compromised. In fact, the opposite is true: their age and size which can only be manufactured
plastics are actually the crucial components in car safely and cost-efficiently with plastics. These include
safety. Energy absorbing plastic bumpers, durable infant carriers, child seats, booster seats and booster
polyester fibre seat belts, high-strength nylon airbags cushions. European Commission statistics show that
and child restraint plastic seats have all helped to forward-facing child safety systems have been shown
make cars safer for all road users. to have an injury reducing effect of approximately
60% while the rearward-facing kinds have been
shown to reduce injuries by a further 30-35%4. Child
Increasing passenger safety
safety seats fulfil strict testing conditions according
Seat belts, made from strands of durable polyamide to industry standards.
or polyester fibres, have probably had the greatest
single effect on reducing road casualties over any Most modern cars use plastics for head lamps that
other safety feature. According to an EU road safety are virtually shatter proof. In addition, headlights
study (2008), using a seat belt could save up to made from plastics can be moulded into any imagi-
7,300 lives per year in Europe3. The European nable shape, which allows lamps to adapt to differing
Transport Safety Council’s (ETSC) estimates show that light conditions, thereby increasing visibility.
about 50% of all drivers and passengers that die in
a fatal accident in the EU could have survived if they Plastics are also used for vehicles active parts, for
had worn their seat belts. example driveshafts. In the event of an accident,
the shafts split lengthwise without bending.
Airbags, made from high-strength nylon or reinforced A conventional shaft would risk bending, thereby
polyamide fibres, are another safety feature, which possibly puncturing the tank or the car’s interior.
reduces injuries. They cushion impact in the event of
frontal collisions when car occupants can be injured
by being thrown onto unpadded parts of the car inte-
rior such as the steering wheel and the dashboard.

3. European Commission, DG Mobility and Transport, section

“Road Safety – Cars – Seat belts”
4. European Commission, DG Mobility and Transport, section
“Road Safety – Cars – Safety design needs”

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Reducing the effect of vehicle Realising the technological safety

impact on pedestrians, cyclists aids of the future
and other road users Plastics are also imperative to electrical safety aids,
Since 2003, EU legislation has been strengthened to the technology required to realise the European
reduce injury risk for vulnerable groups such as Commission’s Action Plan for the deployment of the
pedestrians, cyclists and other road users through Intelligent Transport System (ITS). More than GPS, ITS
mandatory energy absorbing car fronts and blind is a portal which enables information exchanges be-
spot mirrors. Plastics have been instrumental in tween vehicles or between vehicles and infrastruc-
developing state-of-the-art bumper designs and ture. This technology would be challenging without
energy absorbing elements specialised in maximising plastics which enable all forms of in-car human-
occupant and pedestrian safety. A plastic bumper computer interfaces such as touchscreens, buttons
usually weighs 50% less than one made of and sensors. The technology will enable information
alternative materials, while absorbing four to on speed limits, traffic flows congestion and
five times more energy. pedestrian recognition thus helping Europe reach its
goal of halving the number of deaths on its roads
by 2020.

Indeed, plastics enable all forms of in-car human-

computer interfaces including touch screens, buttons
and sensors. According to the European Commission
these systems reduce congestion by 5-10% (through
dynamic navigation), the number of fatalities by
5-15% and of injuries by 5-10% (through speed alert,
lane keeping support or e-Call technology)5.

5. ITS Action Plan and Directive, European Commission, DG Mobility and Transport

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Plastics provide comfort and

cost-effective design opportunities

Today’s lightweight, durable plastics give designers

and engineers the freedom to create innovative Specifically, designers are taking advantage of the
design concepts on vehicles which enhance design freedom that plastics provide to create
passenger comfort at a realistic cost. This extends to innovative glazing designs. These include streamlined
the cockpit, surfaces, textiles, lighting and sensors as head lamps, recessed rear lamps and electro-
well as the car’s shape and external accessories like chromatic roof panels which can be changed from
door handles, mirror frames, wheel covers and rims transparent to opaque at the flick of a switch.
and bumpers integrated with the front end.
Using plastics in electrical components provides
Tailor-made, ergonomic bumpers and dashboards can manufacturers with numerous benefits including
now be moulded as single parts instead of the greater design and circuit layout flexibility, shorter
multi-components of yesterday, saving both time and process sequences and a reduction in the amount of
money. This also means that new design innovations different raw materials necessary to build each
can quickly and cheaply be introduced to the component.
production line. Plastic body fillers, which fixes
small imperfections without the need for welding
or grinding, keeps small repair and maintenance
costs to a minimum.

Rear light

Lightweight climate
comfort seat

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First all-polymer
wheel rim
All-plastic roofs filter UV rays

The heat-stable charge air duct replacing

the metal part weighs only half as much.

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Plastics – the high-tech functional material driving

cutting edge innovations and sustainability

Plastics have a number of benefits over traditional mate- Specifically:

rials used in the automotive industry. They can signifi- • Plastic throttle housings are 40% lighter per part
cantly accelerate production and assembly time as well than the traditional materials equivalent and cost
as vehicle running costs. They also improve design, up to 40% less. Additionally, their low thermo-
comfort, safety features and enhance environmental conductivity could eliminate the risk of freezing
performance. and consequent breakages.
• Air intake pipes and fuel tanks are almost entirely
made from plastics saving 50% in weight against
Plastics are innovative
alternative materials.
Plastics are essential if the next generation of low-carbon • Plastics windscreens and windows filter out most
electric, hybrid and hydrogen vehicles are to be realised. infrared rays reducing thus in-car temperature and
With challenges around the current battery technology consequently the use of air conditioning.
– including short driving ranges and the frequent need to • Plastics are also used to create fuel cells which
recharge heavy batteries which add 300 kg of weight to power hydrogen cars. As these cars will become
the car – plastics have a significant role to play. The use more common, the introduction of these technolo-
of more plastic body work will help increase the driving gies will help Europe achieve its 2020 goals of
range. Plastics are also being used to create fuel cells for ensuring that 10% of the transport sector must
the first generation of emission-free hydrogen cars, which supply its energy needs from renewable sources.
are currently in development.
Further innovations include plastic wheels weighing Natural fibre-reinforced plastics, i.e. plastics enhanced
only 6 kg, saving 3 kg per wheel, lightweight seats with flax and hemp fibres – as well as biobased
which better regulate seat heating and humidity, and plastics are currently used as materials in the auto-
inflatable seat belt airbags which distribute crash forces motive industry. These materials are lighter and more
over five times more body area than conventional resistant to breaking and splintering. They are used
seat belts. in dashboards, door covers and interior parts.

Plastics are sustainable Besides using fibres in standard plastics, new

materials are developed to provide a 100 % biobased
High-performance plastics continue to drive
solution for certain car parts. Developers at Hanover
sustainability in vehicles by making them lighter, more
University are currently working on mirror housings or
fuel-efficient and thus friendlier to the environment.
petrol cap.
They improve engine efficiency, or enhance rolling and
air resistance. Plastic active manifold systems for direct-
injection gasoline engines increase torque and engine
power whilst lowering emissions.

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Fuel cell stack

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Hybrid components: while the plastic ribbing gives the support necessary to
prevent premature buckling. In comparison with
Strong metal/plastic compounds
previous technologies, the combination of plastics and
A “plastic-metal hybrid” is not a type of hybrid metal enables highly load-resistant production and
vehicle, but rather an innovative process which helps low-cost parts.
the automotive industry make greater use of plastics
by joining plastics and metal together, creating high-
tech materials to benefit from the strengths of both This technology has numerous advantages:
materials. • high functionality integration
• increase of performance
Plastic/metal hybrid components may, e.g., consist of a • improved dimensional tolerances
thin metal sheet supported by ribbing made from • avoiding the buckling of thin-walled steel structures
plastics. The metal provides the strength and stiffness, • excelled crash behaviour
• high stiffness
• low weight

Although plastics have an important presence in many

applications, the use of plastics in load-bearing
structures has, to date, been low, due to mechanical
and safety related reasons. With metal structures
becoming lighter and thinner, their lack in strength
has become a problem. The plastic-metal hybrid
technology corrects this problem by combining
the advantages of these two materials.

Plastic-metal hybrids are

thermoplastic components,
which are reinforced with
steel. One way of combining
steel and plastics is to
integrate steel cord fabrics
into injection moulded
thermoplastic parts.

Plastics are used to create fuel cells which

power hydrogen cars. These technologies
will help Europe achieve its 2020 goals of
ensuring that 10% of the transport sector
must supply its energy needs from
renewable sources.

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Reducing vehicle running costs and

providing resource efficient solutions

Plastics play a crucial role in reducing the cost of Greater resource efficiency
ownership and environmental impact of vehicles.
Despite the widespread use of plastics, the natural
Indeed few, if any, materials can make cars safer,
resources needed to produce automotive plastics rep-
lighter, more fuel-efficiency and thus more friendly to
resent just 0.3% of global oil consumption. In existing
the environment.
applications, when it comes to CO2 reduction, plastics
are a very energy-efficient material enabling resource-
Lower running costs efficient solutions. The substitution of plastics with
for consumers other materials would in most cases increase energy
consumptions and greenhouse gases emissions.
Plastics reduce the weight of modern cars, thereby
lowering fuel consumption in the average car by
Furthermore, plastics do not only save energy and
750 litres over a lifespan of 150,000 km. Assuming an
reduce greenhouse gas emissions, they also save
average car will travel roughly 150,000 km over its
land, water and mineral/metal resources. Comparing
lifetime and assuming an average of 12 km per litre,
an automotive fender made of plastics with one made
a car would thus save up to 10,000 km of fuel, or
of a traditional material has shown a clear advantage
in other words the equivalent of 10,000 km of driving
of using plastics for greater resource efficiency over
for free.
the entire life cycle.

The efficiency of cars is further enhanced thanks to the

If plastics in a car were to be substituted with other
strength and durability of plastics. This has helped to
materials, additional energy of 1,020 MGJ/a (million giga
expand the average lifespan of a car to over 12 years
joule/annum) (+26%) would be needed. This can be
by providing, for instance, better protection against
compared to the energy needed for heating and provid-
corrosion.
ing warm water for 40 million people or nearly the
entire population of Poland.

Resource efficiency of plastics in the automotive sector

Fender case study: plastics versus traditional materials

Source: Beyond “carbon footprint”: The contribution of plastic products to various resource savings – denkstatt GmbH, Vienna, 2012
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Plastics recovery at the end-of-life

Plastics can also be recovered when a vehicle reaches • Mechanical recycling: Material reprocessing of end-
its end-of-life stage, thus helping to meet the EU’s of-life plastics from Automobile Schredder Residue
End-of-Life Vehicles Directive 2000/53/EC. (ASR) or from automobile parts such as bumpers
and battery housings into plastic products.
This states that currently a minimum of 85% by
weight of an end-of-life vehicle is re-used or recov- • Feedstock recycling: Material reprocessing by
ered, including 5% energy recovery. No later than chemical means into basic chemicals, monomers
January 2015, this re-use and recovery should reach a for plastics or hydrocarbon feedstock
minimum of 95% with a minimum of 85% recycling
by an average weight per vehicle per year. • Energy recovery: use of waste plastics as a means
to generate and recover energy.
Plastics recovery includes
• Using plastic parts from accident, damaged or
end-of-life vehicles to repair cars e.g. head or rear
lamps, wash fluid tanks and lids, accessories
(such as wings, mats, ashtrays, cup holders, etc.),
seats, airbags, dashboards and bumpers.

Sustainable treatment
of plastics in cars:
re-use and recover
(material recycling and
energy recovery)

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Overview of plastics in
the automotive industry

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The unique nature of plastics

means that they can be found
throughout the vehicle, in the
interior, exterior, under the
hood, from lights and bum-
pers, to engine components,
dashboards, headrests,
switches, clips, panoramic
roofs, seats, airbags and
seat belts.

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Automotive_EN_HIGH_RES_PRINT_PlasticsEurope AUTOMOTIVE 22/09/14 14:46 Page 20

Plastics demand by segment, Europe, 2013

Others: 26.1%
12.1 Mtonne

E & E: 5.6%
2.6 Mtonne

Automotive: 8.5%
46.3 Mtonne
EU27+N, CH incl.
3.9 Mtonne Other Plastics (~5.6 Mtonne)

Packaging: 39.5%
18.3 Mtonne

Building & Construction: 20.3%

9.4 Mtonne

Source: PlasticsEurope Market Research Group (PEMRG)

– for Central Europe in cooperation with Eastern and
Central European Business Development (ECEBD) /
Consultic Marketing & Industrieberatung GmbH

Plastics demand* by segments and resin type, Europe, 2013

Automotive 8%

Building & 20%

Construction

Packaging 40%

Electrical & 6%
Electronic

Others 26%
T

En er
LD

PP

PS

-E

PA

PC

R
PE
PV

PU
M
-H

SA
PS

h
L

PM

Ot

g.
E-

PE

,
SA
P
D,

A
-L

S,
PE

AB

Source: PlasticsEurope Market Research Group (PEMRG)

18 * EU-27+N/CH incl. Other Plastics (~5.6 Mtonne)
Automotive_EN_HIGH_RES_PRINT_PlasticsEurope AUTOMOTIVE 22/09/14 14:46 Page 21

Use of plastics in the automotive sector, Europe, 2012

Other
plastics PE-LD/LLD
Under
2.5% PE-HD/MD Electric/light
9.5% the hood
7.2% 12%
14.5%

PUR
17.4%
PP
28.6%

3.8 Mtonne 3.8 Mtonne

Exterior
21%
Other
Engineerings
10.9%

PC PVC
Interior
1.6% PA 3.8%
PMMA ABS, ASA, 52.5%
11.9%
1.3% SAN
5.3%

Source: Consultic Marketing & Industrieberatung GmbH

Use of plastics in the automotive industry

by products/applications, Europe, 2012

Interior 52.5%

Exterior 21%

Under
14.5%
the hood

Electronics 12%
ic r
g
PE

PP

PA

la the
in
PV

PU
AB

er
PM

s
op O
ne

st
i
ng
re

m
he

Source: PlasticsEurope Market Research Group (PEMRG)/

er
Ot

Th

Consultic Marketing & Industrieberatung GmbH

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Automotive_EN_HIGH_RES_PRINT_PlasticsEurope AUTOMOTIVE 22/09/14 10:32 Page 22

Plastics and the automotive sector in numbers

The amount of plastics The average amount of plastics, in

O that could be found on a
car in the 1950s.1
225 kilograms, found on board a modern
mid-range vehicle.6

The percentage of fuel con- The number of times automotive windows

3 sumption saved per 5% reduc-
tion in the weight of the
250 and lights made from plastics are stronger
than those made of alternative materials.
bodywork.2

The number of lives that could almost cer-

6 The weight (in kg) of the

modern all-plastic wheel rim. 300 tainly have been saved in 2007 in the UK
alone if all car occupants had been wearing
a seat belt. That’s roughly one life a day!7

8.3 The demand in percentage

of plastics for automotive
in Europe.
2000 The number of plastic parts found
in an average car.8

The average lifespan in years The number of lives that could be

12 of a car thanks to the greater
use of plastics.3
7300 saved in the EU each year by using
seat belts.9

The number of years a 60-watt bulb would

The percentage amount of plastics be kept continuously lit by the additional
12-15 found in a modern mid-range car
weighing about 1500 kg.4
49.000 energy spent over the whole life-cycle of a
typical car if existing plastics components
were replaced by other materials.10

The weight (in kg) of plastics 1. VCI (Verband der Chemischen Industrie) Fact Book brochure

100 which can cut an average car’s fuel

consumption by 750 litres over a
2. VCI (Verband der Chemischen Industrie) Fact Book brochure 02
3. APME brochure “A Material of choice” p.2
4. VCI (Verband der Chemischen Industrie) Fact Book brochure 02
lifespan of 150.000 km.5
5. APME brochure “A Material of choice” p.3
6. VCI (Verband der Chemischen Industrie) Fact Book brochure 02
7. ThinkDirect “Always wear a seat belt”
8. VCI (Verband der Chemischen Industrie) Fact Book brochure 02
9. European Commission Road safety study, 2008
10. Automotive applications of plastics, PlasticsEurope factsheet (August 2006)

Pictures copyright:

Cover: © Daimler Page 9: © Daimler Page 15: © Audi AG

Page 2: © Renault Page 10: © Kia, Daimler Page 16-17: © Mercedes
Page 6: © Volvo Page 12: © Toyota, Mercedes

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2013-09

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