SABIC Innovative Plastics' "Green" Technologies Help the New Lincoln MKT Concept Provide Eco-Responsible Style and Luxury
DETROIT - Jan. 14, 2008 - Today at the North American International Auto Show, SABIC Innovative Plastics demonstrates its commitment to collaboration with its customers by announcing that its materials are helping Ford Motor Company's Lincoln brand provide more eco-responsible style and luxury. The new Lincoln MKT luxury concept vehicle, making its world premiere today at the show, features a number of SABIC Innovative Plastics' portfolio of environmentally responsible technologies. These include smart, sustainable resins based on up-cycled plastic waste; lightweight glazing that reduces fuel consumption and emissions; and high-performance resins for ultra-thin wire coating that cut vehicle weight and provide flame retardance without the risks associated with halogenated additives. At the same time, these versatile materials enable innovative designs and provide beautiful surfaces to enhance the experience of beauty and style.
"Until now, many people have considered a green luxury car to be an oxymoron," said Amanda Roble, executive director, Automotive, SABIC Innovative Plastics. "But with our next-generation materials, the Lincoln MKT demonstrates that the two customer benefits are very compatible. By replacing traditional metal and glass with quality materials that are durable and sustainable, which help reduce fuel consumption and emissions, Lincoln has created a luxury vehicle that is gentle on the environment."
By teaming up with SABIC Innovative Plastics, Lincoln was able to lighten the weight of the MKT by 104 lbs (47 kg) without compromising its style and safety. Weight savings such as those provided by SABIC Innovative Plastics' technologies can represent important benefits if they are implemented over mass quantities of vehicles.
For example, if you were to achieve a similar weight savings of 104 lbs (47 kg) per vehicle on a fleet of 125,000 similar vehicles, this would result in savings of around 15 million U.S. gallons (56 million liters) of gasoline. This overall weight savings could represent important fuel reduction costs for these drivers at close to an estimated $44 million. The amount of gasoline involved would be the same amount as filling over 1,500 large tanker trucks which, lined up end to end, would stretch close to 17 miles (27.5 kilometers). At the same time CO2 emissions could then be reduced by about 128 thousand metric tons, or the amount absorbed by approximately 35,000 acres of Southeastern U.S. forest, according to Green Order, a New York environmental strategy firm.
SABIC Innovative Plastics' smart iQ* resins, made from up-cycled polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles, replace metal in a number of new part applications in the MKT. Xenoy iQ* resin is targeted for front and rear bumper energy absorbers, the center console, and liftgate inner structure; while Valox iQ* resin is targeted for the engine cover, connectors, power distribution boards, and the composite hood. More than 2,000 bottles go into the MKT; this number equals the number of bottles used by a person who drinks one per day for over 5 ½ years. These energy-efficient iQ plastic resins offer excellent performance and can help reduce vehicle weight to cut fuel usage and reduce the overall carbon footprint.
In the roof, windshield, and rear lift gate of the Lincoln concept, deluxe glazing components -Lexan GLX polycarbonate resins with Exatec** coating, bonded with a CarboTech carbon composite structure - reduce weight by 28.4 lbs (12.9 kg) vs. glass. Equally important, this solution made it possible to design the unique lift gate glazing with its integrated aerodynamics, which would not have been feasible using glass.
Flexible Noryl* resin, an inherently flame-retardant, non-halogenated material from SABIC Innovative Plastics, helps reduce weight by 2.5 lbs (1.1 kg) by enabling ultra-thin wire coating. Further, these thinner coatings free up space for additional consumer electronics.
For additional information on SABIC Innovative Plastics please visit the company's website at www.sabic-ip.com.
About SABIC Innovative Plastics
SABIC Innovative Plastics is a global supplier of plastic resins widely used in automotive, healthcare, consumer electronics, transportation, performance packaging, building and construction, telecommunications and optical media applications. The company manufactures and compounds polycarbonate, ABS, ASA, PPE, PC/ABS, PBT and PEI resins, as well as the LNP* line of high-performance specialty compounds, under such well known brand names as Lexan*, Cycolac*, Geloy*, Noryl, Cycoloy*, Valox* and Ultem*.
The Specialty Film and Sheet division of SABIC Innovative Plastics manufactures high-performance Lexan sheet and film products used in thousands of demanding applications worldwide. The dedicated automotive organization is an experienced, worldwide supplier, offering leading plastics solutions for five key automotive segments: body panels and glazing; under the hood applications; component; structures and interiors; and lighting.
SABIC Innovative Plastics is part of Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (SABIC), one of the 10 largest petrochemicals manufacturers in the world.
