Cars of the Future: Plastic Makes Perfect?

Reported February 2006

TROY, Mich. (Ivanhoe Broadcast News) -- Cars built entirely out of plastic could be the wave of the future, making metal a thing of the past when it comes to cars.

New, innovative cars made almost entirely of plastic are paving the way for what you may be driving in the future. Guan Chew, Ph.D., a mechanical engineer at Porsche Engineering Services in Troy, Mich., says, "With plastics you can design cars which are very bold, and that gives you an advantage to sell nicer cars."

Plastics have gained a lot of ground over traditional metals used in cars, making it possible to build almost an entire vehicle completely of non-metal material. Paul Ritchie, CEO and engineer at Porsche Engineering Services, says: "The Carrera GT is what we would refer to as a proving ground for one of our new materials. It's made essentially from reinforced plastic."

Mechanical engineers use a lightweight, high-strength aerospace material called carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic. It's used in the doors, hoods, fenders, chasis and also in support frames for the engine and transmission.

"You can mold the plastics into very complicated shapes that maybe you can't do in steel," Chew says. Looks aren't the only perks of plastic; plastics help cars lose weight to go farther on fuel.

New materials, like plastic, are usually tested on high-end vehicles first. Once the materials are proven to be more efficient and cost effective, they eventually filter down to affordable consumer vehicles.

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