August 6, 2025
Plastics play an indispensable role in the modern automobile manufacturing industry with their advantages of light weight, high strength, easy molding, good insulation and relatively low cost. These characteristics are particularly important for electric vehicles.
First, lightweighting is the key to improving the range of electric vehicles. According to statistics, for every 10% reduction in vehicle weight, fuel efficiency (or power efficiency) can be increased by 6%-8%. Compared with traditional metal materials, the application of plastics and their composite materials in bumpers, fenders, hoods, door panels, interior trims (such as dashboards, seat frames, door panels, carpets) and other components can significantly reduce the weight of the vehicle body, thereby effectively improving the range performance and alleviating the user's mileage anxiety. For example, engineering plastics such as polypropylene (PP), polycarbonate (PC), ABS resin, polyamide (PA, nylon) are widely used.
Secondly, the safety and efficiency of the battery system are also inseparable from plastics. The shell of the power battery pack, the partition between the battery cells, the cooling system pipeline, the insulating parts of the high-voltage connector, etc., a large number of special engineering plastics with excellent insulation, flame retardancy, corrosion resistance and structural support properties are used. These materials not only protect the battery from physical impact and environmental influences, but also ensure the electrical safety of the high-voltage system.
Again, the comfort, aesthetics and functional integration of the interior also rely on plastics. Modern car interiors pursue a sense of design and technology. The diversity and easy processing of plastic materials enable them to achieve complex surfaces and textures to meet personalized needs. At the same time, many electronic components such as sensors, display screens, control modules, etc. also require plastics as packaging or supporting materials.
In addition, charging infrastructure also consumes a lot of plastic. Charging guns, cables, charging pile shells and other components widely use plastics for insulation, wear resistance and cost considerations.
Therefore, although electric vehicles are committed to the clean energy end, plastics are everywhere in their life cycle, from raw material mining, parts manufacturing, vehicle assembly to final recycling. It is estimated that the amount of plastic used in an ordinary car accounts for about 15%-20% of the weight of the vehicle, and this proportion may be higher in electric vehicles that pursue lightweight.
Ps: The above news come from website.
