Are there any plastic cars?
Discussion
It depends on how you define "plastic".
Pure non-reinforced plastics are rarely used for external automotive panels but reinforced polymers such as GRP and CFRP (plastic reinforced with glass fibres and carbon fibres respectively) are often used. Additionally CFRP is also increasingly used for structural elements where GRP usually isn't.
If you count reinforced polymers, most Lotus cars have GRP bodies over an aluminium structure, and a number of cars have GRP over steel monocoques. Most supercars have CFRP monocoques these days and it's starting to trickle down into more affordable things (the BMW i3 being an example). A few older cars had GRP monocoques but I can't think of a recent one.
Pure non-reinforced plastics are rarely used for external automotive panels but reinforced polymers such as GRP and CFRP (plastic reinforced with glass fibres and carbon fibres respectively) are often used. Additionally CFRP is also increasingly used for structural elements where GRP usually isn't.
If you count reinforced polymers, most Lotus cars have GRP bodies over an aluminium structure, and a number of cars have GRP over steel monocoques. Most supercars have CFRP monocoques these days and it's starting to trickle down into more affordable things (the BMW i3 being an example). A few older cars had GRP monocoques but I can't think of a recent one.
Edited by kambites on Sunday 17th October 09:22
anonymous said:
[redacted]
As has been discussed above, it depends in your definition of 'plastic'.Glass fibre and carbon fibre are fibre reinforced plastics. Whether that means they remain 'plastics' or should be treated as something else is really a matter of personal opinion.
Personally, I think that the fibres transform them into something else (a composite material) that performs quite differently, but I wouldn't get all holier-than-thou with anyone who chooses to think differently.
Obviously no car is completely non-metallic; there are always going to be some components that are best manufactured in metal. We're talking about bodyshells and/or body/chassis structures.
P5BNij said:
In the mid '60s BMC experimented with a GRP body for the Mini and it was put into production in Chile....
There were manufacturers of GRP Mini replica kits in the UK, as well - idea being that you could reshell the mechanical components from your rusty Mini.Mini Minus:
Mini Pimlico:
Mini Phoenix:
I think a lot of the BMW Z1 is regular not reinforced plastic. Wiki says side panels and doors are not reinforced but bonnet boot and roof are.
It also has a galv chassis.
And a full flat (plastic incidentaly) aero underbody.
Oh and I think the Fiero body was unreinforced plastic also?
It's good that your niece is asking these questions, maybe she has a future in engineering. Maybe research some university "future mobility" projects, often in conjunction with OEMs, I'm sure many of them will have recycled or plant based polymer bodies.
It also has a galv chassis.
And a full flat (plastic incidentaly) aero underbody.
Oh and I think the Fiero body was unreinforced plastic also?
It's good that your niece is asking these questions, maybe she has a future in engineering. Maybe research some university "future mobility" projects, often in conjunction with OEMs, I'm sure many of them will have recycled or plant based polymer bodies.
Edited by Automaton on Sunday 17th October 20:42
Evanivitch said:
Mr Squarekins said:
Shame batteries are NMC and not lithium polymer!
Why would you want an inferior battery tech that has a shorter life and has a propensity to thermal runaway? Energy density is not the be all and end all.
hidetheelephants said:
Evanivitch said:
Mr Squarekins said:
Shame batteries are NMC and not lithium polymer!Why would you want an inferior battery tech that has a shorter life and has a propensity to thermal runaway? Energy density is not the be all and end all.
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