AUTOMOTIVE BIOPLASTICS FUNCTIONAL AS WELL AS ECOFRIENDLY
June 1st, 2012
BY KITTY SO
FORD, Fiat, Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Toyota, Mazda, and Hyundai: the list of car manufacturers switching to bioplastics for internal components is full of heavyweights and growing.
Attracted initially by environmental benefits, car makers and their suppliers now ask what added functionality they can get from non-compostable, bio-based materials. Two answers are lighter, more cost-effective vehicles. A rule-of-thumb is that 5% less weight means average fuel savings of 3%, according to industry association Plastics Europe.
Weight advantages are not assured. ...
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