Dow Products Fuel Better Gas Mileage
We all need gasoline or diesel to power our vehicles, but rising prices are a concern for many consumers. In addition, as the number of cars on the road increases every year, so will the level of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, specifically CO2. Though alternative fuels and other solutions are being developed that will help address these concerns, we will depend, for the next few decades, on gasoline and diesel to hit the road. With that in mind, it is even more important that we find ways to decrease fuel consumption.
As fuel consumption is primarily driven by vehicle weight, a logical solution is to make lighter cars with lightweight materials such as plastics. To help car manufacturers succeed, Dow Automotive, a business unit of The Dow Chemical Company, offers a range of high-performance plastics-enabled solutions.
These solutions include BETAFOAM™ structural foams that enhance vehicle structural integrity while allowing for down-gauging of steel and BETAMATE™ structural adhesives that decrease vehicle weight by reducing or eliminating welds and mechanical fasteners. And these are just a few of the solutions from Dow Automotive's broad portfolio. Another Dow offering that helps car manufacturers reduce vehicle weight is MAGNUM™ ABS resins for light-weight exterior and interior components.
Plastics Help Cars Lose Weight
According to the U.S. Department of Energy, for every 10% reduction in weight, fuel economy improves by 7%. Plastics are an attractive material because:
- On average, 100 kg of plastics can replace between 200 and 300 kg of traditional materials.
- Plastics and composites are often much stronger and safer than steel.
- Plastics offer amazing design flexibility, enabling designers to improve aerodynamics and replace adjacent metal parts with a single lightweight plastic unit.
Everyone Benefits
Society benefits in multiple ways from automotive plastics. Lighter cars burn less gasoline or diesel, which:
- Cuts consumers' fuel costs, which contributes to economic prosperity.
- Reduces total oil and gas consumption, enabling fossil fuel resources to be conserved.
- Reduces greenhouse gas emissions.
Plastics are making a major contribution to weight reduction, enabling the introduction of many next-generation cars. So what's on the horizon? Time will tell, but one thing is for sure, Dow is committed to being part of the solution.
Sources: http://www.ms.ornl.gov/programs/energyeff/lwvm/background.htm, www.fueleconomy.gov, www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/lightweight.shtml, APME "environmental benefits" paper, www.dowautomotive.com and backgrounder; http://yosemite.epa.gov/oar/globalwarming.nsf/content/ActionsTransportation.html
