This week’s in-depth article addresses the importance of plastics in the overall automotive carbon neutrality equation, with even an increasing relative importance as powertrains are getting more electrified. There’s a real bonanza of new materials competing on strengths of design, sustainability, and light weight.
New materials bring with them a complex new value chain which has to be developed. Novel choices like recycled polyurethane granulate; wool; recycled polyester from PET bottles, recycled and biomass-derived polymers—each brings its innovations and challenges.
Today’s simple fact is that sustainable materials are practically mandatory. Pushes and pulls at every level of the value chain call for cutting down on carbon footprint and weight. But this onslaught of different new materials, however innovative they are, tends to slow down market introduction and maintain uncompetitive costs. A coordinated, collaborative, industry consortium-led approach across the whole value chain would make it easier to bring in these materials cost-effectively. Who will step up? It could be an automaker; a major tier-1, or a major material/chemical supplier.
There’s a materials session on the docket of the DVN Interior Workshop coming up in just three weeks. Stay tuned and connect with us to access the DVN-I workshop member account. If you haven’t yet registered, you’ll want to do so while space remains available. And of course, if you’re not yet a DVN-Interior member, do come join us!