Paolo Martino, chief automotive parts analyst at IHS Markit, a global leader in critical information, analysis and solutions, says: "There is a rush to reduce vehicle weight as much as possible, especially in those cars that pollute more, such as SUVs or pickups." Reducing the weight of cars means they consume less fuel. The U.S. Department of Energy says a 10 percent reduction in vehicle weight can lead to an 8 percent improvement in fuel economy. Martino said manufacturers also want electric cars to weigh as little as possible so they can drive farther on a single full charge and help address the "battery mileage anxiety" owners face.
This is where the humble tree can make a difference. After all, wood has been used for thousands of years to build boats, houses and furniture. Researchers at Kyoto University in Japan say a material made from wood pulp could be as strong as steel, but 80 percent lighter.
The Japanese researchers chemically treated wood pulp, which consists of millions of cellulose (CNF), and used that cellulose to incorporate it into plastic. Mixing cellulose with plastic could create a powerful material that could be used to replace steel parts in cars, they said. Professor Hiroyuki Yano, who led the work at Kyoto University, said the material could be used to make door panels, fenders and car nets. Researchers are working with the Japanese government, automakers and other manufacturers to develop the material.
Cellulose nanofibers are already used in a wide variety of products, from ink to transparent displays. Although these materials face competition from more commercially available lightweight rivals, such as carbon fibers, Professor Hiroyuki Yano believes that components made from cellulose could be a viable alternative. But Vivek Vaidya, senior vice president of consulting firm Frost & Sullivan, also has some questions to answer.
Non-performance parts" (i.e., parts other than engines, transmissions and wheels) can be mass-produced from wood, but parts manufacturers may have trouble keeping up with the pace of vehicle production, Vandal said. He said: "Most parts are supplied on demand, so the timely availability of wood or organic materials is undoubtedly difficult to guarantee."
In Japan, researchers are working on specialized plastics for automotive parts. Professor Tatsuo Kaneko from the Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology is developing plastics made from biomolecules. The new material is also lighter than steel and can withstand temperatures of up to 300 degrees C. Tatsuo Kaneko said: "Plastic parts are not used near car engines because they cannot withstand high temperatures. But the bioplastics I produce can withstand much higher temperatures."
Tatsuo Kaneko is working with Japanese automakers, auto parts and electronics manufacturers and foreign companies on the research. He says the material is expected to be a replacement for steel within five years, and the biggest advantage of using it is that it could significantly reduce the weight of cars. While lighter plastic parts may help reduce vehicle emissions and increase the range of electric vehicles, do they pose other environmental risks?
Professor Tatsuo Kaneko acknowledges that replacing traditional materials such as glass with bioplastics may increase pollution because their waste is not biodegradable. But he argues that his materials are friendlier to the environment than traditional plastics. He insists that the production of traditional petroleum-based plastics produces large amounts of carbon dioxide, while bioplastics are made by microorganisms and produce only less waste.
Among automakers, the drive to use "green" materials is accelerating, says Frost & Sullivan's Vanda, adding that manufacturers are working to reduce the carbon footprint of their vehicles, and not just in terms of tailpipe emissions. The move helps strengthen regulation and takes into account the needs of consumers. Both the U.K. and France plan to ban diesel and gasoline vehicles by 2040 to reduce pollution and carbon emissions. China, the world's largest auto market, wants electric and plug-in hybrids to account for at least one-fifth of its vehicle sales by 2025.
Vandal says:-"It's definitely smart to improve the environmental quality of the car by using greener materials." To reduce vehicle weight, BMW has focused on developing carbon fiber and last month introduced the M5 sedan with a carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic roof. Toyota is using the same materials to reduce weight and increase battery range in the Prius Prime and Lexus LC 500 models.
For Jaguar, aluminum is the material of focus. The company says the metal weighs about 1/3 as much as the same amount of steel. jaguar says:For every 100 kg of aluminum used for the chassis, it reduces the vehicle's CO2 emissions by 9 grams per kilometer and saves 800 liters of fuel by the end of the car's life." Niche component manufacturers like Corning typically use tempered glass for windshields and other glass components, and the high-tech glass is 1/3 lighter than traditional window glass.
