A new stage in the utilisation of in-vehicle plastic parts has begun.

For example, premium EVs in China are promoting exterior designs that can only be expressed by plastic moulded parts. As a result, half of the exterior panel area was plastic panels. Toyota’s C+pod and Citroen’s AMI, both ultra-compact EVs where weight reduction is important, have fully resin exterior panels, while concept cars from Lexus, Nissan, Subaru and others at the Japan Mobility Show featured carbon-like panels woven into the design for a new impression. Furthermore, Daihatsu offered a fun proposal of 3D-printed resin parts that can be changed.

At the same time, carbon neutrality is an important theme. Reducing vehicle weight through the use of plastics contributes to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions in terms of fuel and electricity costs, and the use of plastics is also expanding in inverters and motors for EV devices.

On the other hand, there has also been an evolution in the carbon-neutral compatibility of vehicle-mounted plastics themselves. Circular economy, recycling and the use of plant-derived resins will be presented along with case studies. The mandatory use of recycled resins under the European ELV Management Regulation is also a major issue.