Plastics Help Automakers Build a More Sustainable Future
As the global community builds towards a greener future and a more circular economy, the automotive industry is a critical part of that conversation. In fact, automakers and other innovators are using both virgin and recycled plastics to improve vehicle performance, reduce waste, and increase the circularity of automotive products.
Plastics make today’s cars safe and sustainable
Today’s cars couldn’t exist without plastics. Plastic parts account for about 50% of modern automobiles but only 10% of the total weight. Lighter cars decrease emissions through greater fuel efficiency: for every 10% in weight reduction, there’s a 5-7% increase in fuel efficiency.
Plastics help keep vehicle passengers safe, too. From polyester fiber seatbelts to nylon fabric airbags and splinter-proof protective coatings for automotive glass, many modern automotive safety components rely on plastic. And fiber-reinforced polymer crumple zones—areas that absorb impact during a collision—absorb four times the impact steel can, reducing passenger injuries.
Ongoing research has proven promising for future safety upgrades by replacing traditional materials with plastic. The Department of Energy predicts that, as the trend of replacing materials with carbon fiber-reinforced plastics grows, vehicle weight will be further reduced by 50%, improving fuel efficiency by an additional 35%.
Automakers are using plastics to build the cars of tomorrow
In addition to plastic’s many benefits for traditional automotive products, the material is also enabling the development of electric vehicles (EVs). In fact, the physics of electric vehicles is made possible because of plastic. Between the weight of the batteries and the body of the vehicle, plastic is necessary for EVs to function.
Automakers are increasingly implementing plans to grow EV sales, creating a need for innovative technology that can bridge the gap between EV-use goals and actual consumer adoption of the technology.
A January 2022 report from Reports and Data, a markets insights and analysis firm, predicts that as EV technology advances, polymer automotive applications will increase due to their impressive technical capacity. Polymers are already critical to EVs for everything from insulation and sensor shields to battery separators and coatings to charging infrastructure. And the importance of plastics in this space is only set to increase. The report also notes that as manufacturers seek to expand high-performance EVs, polymers can help reduce in-motion noise and vibration and protect battery packs, bettering riders’ experiences and improving EVs’ technical performance.
Polymer technology is advancing, too. Chemical engineers at MIT have developed a novel polymerization process to produce a new material, which they call 2DPA-1. It’s stronger than steel, as lightweight as other forms of plastic, and easily manufactured at the commercial scale. The researchers believe 2DPA-1—four to six times stronger than bulletproof glass—can be used as a protective coating for metal car parts, limiting corrosion and damage from the elements and other strain. This can help extend the product life of car parts, reducing unnecessary waste and allowing consumers to keep their vehicles for longer periods of time. Through these benefits, and countless others, plastics play a critical role in building vehicles for a greener future.
Plastics fuel circularity in the automotive industry
In addition to recovering and recycling more car parts, automakers are also incorporating more recycled parts and recycled material into new car models.
A truly circular economy requires buy-in from all stakeholders in the value chain. Plastics are already key to the cars of today and the cars of tomorrow. Automakers’ latest innovations represent the sort of creative, adaptive solutions needed to improve plastics’ circularity while continuing to produce high-quality, sustainable products that meet consumer transportation needs. To complement these efforts, industry and government alike must continue to invest in advanced recycling programs to process complex plastic parts, ensuring a sustainable future. Plastics will continue to be key to the innovative auto designs of the future, providing high-performance, low-emissions, and sustainable transportation options for consumers around the globe.