The Plastic Car: How Much Is Too Much?

Plastic is a common material in modern cars. On average, a conventional car uses over 200kg of plastic, comprising more than 23 different types. This accounts for 17.7% of the car's total weight. Plastic is used in cars because it is rust-proof, lightweight and cheaper to produce than other materials.

Plastic is rust-proof, which is especially useful for bumper and fender parts where salty water collects

The use of plastic in cars is becoming increasingly common as it helps to reduce production costs and achieve lightweight designs. Plastic is also used in cars because it is strong, durable, and malleable. This is particularly useful for car parts that need to be flexible, such as bumpers and fenders.

While plastic has many benefits for cars, it also presents some challenges for recycling due to the incompatibility of different types of plastics. This has led to an increased focus on plastic recycling in end-of-life vehicles.

In addition to the practical benefits of using plastic in cars, there are also emotional reasons. For example, black plastic trims tend to make a car look sportier, more rugged, and more youthful.

Plastic is used to make cars look sportier, more rugged and youthful

On average, a conventional car contains over 200 kg of plastic, accounting for 17.7% of its total weight. This is a significant increase from cars in the 1950s, which had almost no plastic. The use of plastic in cars has grown due to its lightweight nature, which helps to reduce production costs and achieve lightweight designs. It is expected that high oil prices and strict CO2 standards will further accelerate the growth of plastic use in cars.

Different types of plastic are used in car parts, with some plastics comprising over 80% of the part's weight. Globally, around 8% of the oil that comes out of the ground is used to make plastic. While steel remains the most important material in cars due to its strength, durability and malleability, it is relatively heavy compared to plastic.

Plastic is used to reduce production costs

One reason for the increased use of plastic in cars is the need to reduce weight. Steel is still the most important material in cars due to its strength, durability and malleability. However, it is relatively heavy, so manufacturers have turned to plastic as a lightweight alternative. Plastic is also rust-proof, which is particularly advantageous for bumper and fender parts where salty water tends to collect.

In addition to these practical considerations, there are emotional reasons for the use of plastic in cars. Black plastic trims, for example, can make a car look sportier, more rugged and more youthful.

The use of plastic in cars has implications for recycling. The variety of plastic types used in cars can present challenges for recycling due to their incompatibility. However, the focus on plastic recycling in end-of-life vehicles has intensified, with studies analysing critical car parts based on the plastics used.

Plastic is used to achieve lightweight designs

Plastic is used in cars to achieve lightweight designs. On average, a conventional car uses over 200 kg of plastic, comprising more than 23 different types. This accounts for 17.7% of the car's total weight.

The use of plastic in cars has increased over time. Whereas almost no plastic could be found on a car from the 1950s, today's automobiles have more than 120 kg of plastic on board. This is because plastic is cheaper to produce than other materials, and it is also rust-proof. This is particularly useful for bumper and fender parts where salty water tends to collect.

Plastic is also used in car parts weighing over 1 kg, with plastics comprising over 80% of the part's weight. This helps to reduce the overall weight of the car, improving fuel efficiency and performance.

However, the use of plastic in cars presents challenges for recycling due to the incompatibility of different types of plastics. As a result, there has been an increased focus on plastic recycling in end-of-life vehicles.

Plastic is difficult to recycle

The process of recycling involves extracting materials to recover or reuse them for another purpose. However, before plastics can be recycled properly, they need to be separated, which is time-consuming and costly. For instance, black plastic food trays are difficult to separate as their dark colour makes it hard for sorting machines to spot them.

Additionally, a significant percentage of plastic recycling results in downcycling, where the quality degrades with each recycle. Over 13,000 chemicals in plastics pose health hazards, increasing in toxicity through the recycling process.

The term "plastic" encompasses a wide range of products, from glue and paint to hard thermoplastics like tires. This makes it challenging to develop a single process that can recycle even the most common forms of plastic.

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