Changan says it's first Chinese automaker to make all-plastic front end
Changan Automobile Co. says it has manufactured the first all-plastic front end for a Chinese-developed car. It was introduced on the automaker's CX30 model at the recent Auto Shanghai show.
The polypropylene module is 40 percent lighter than the steel parts it replaces, reducing vehicle weight by 4 kilograms. It also allows for modular assembly, reducing overall costs, company officials said.
Wang Xiao, Changan's R&D director of interiors and exteriors, noted in a press release that the automaker "achieved significant improvements in quality and productivity."
Changan said it was investing "significant" resources in non-metallic materials and technologies.
Sabic Innovative Plastics, which developed the front end with Changan, said it was the first time a Chinese developed car has featured an all-plastic front-end module.
Changan Auto is based in the southwest China city of Chongqing.
