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Plastic Products for Automotive

Picture of plastic for Automotive
Fun Fact

More than 50 percent of a typical car is composed of plastics and polymer composites, but those materials account for only about 10 percent of vehicle weight.* *Courtesy of IAPD

Today’s cars contain more plastic than ever. Plastics weigh less than alternative materials such as metal, and less weight means less fuel consumption, which is attractive to consumers when deciding what model to purchase. It’s not just a marketing ploy – Federal Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards are becoming increasingly stringent, requiring car makers to improve the overall efficiency of their fleets. This further increases the drive to utilize lighter weight materials such as plastics.

Plastics are used in a multitude of applications in cars, including:

  • Fuel tanks
  • Cable insulation
  • Carpet fibers
  • Seating
  • Wheels and tires
  • Suspension bushings
  • Dashboards
  • Wheel covers
  • Touch screens
  • Headlamp lenses
  • Truck bed liners
  • Wheel well liners
  • Mud flaps
  • Fluid lines
  • Internal transmission parts including gears
  • Bumpers and other body parts