Published

Plastic Omnium Touts Lightweight Fuel Tank for Hybrid Vehicles

France’s Plastic Omnium Group says its new plastic fuel tank designed for plug-in hybrid vehicles is 40% lighter than steel tanks used in such applications.
#hybrid

Share

France’s Plastic Omnium Group says its new plastic fuel tank designed for plug-in hybrid vehicles is 40% lighter than steel tanks used in such applications.

Featuring the supplier’s “Inwin” technology, the new tank is covered by 163 patents, according to Plastic Omnium. It says the design can withstand the pressure created by fuel vapor when the vehicle is operating in electric-drive mode for an extended time, which previously has precluded plastic tanks for hybrid vehicles.

The new tank material will be launched in December in an upcoming Hyundai plug-in hybrid vehicle sold in South Korea. Seven more vehicles from three carmakers in Asia and Europe will add the plastic tank by 2018, Plastic Omnium says.

RELATED CONTENT

  • Mustang Changes for 2018

    On Tuesday Ford unveiled—using the social media channels of actor Dwayne Johnson (this has got to unnerve some of the auto buff book editors)—the 2018 Mustang, which has undergone some modifications: under the hood (the 3.7-liter V6 is giving way to a 2.3-liter EcoBoost four, and a 10-speed automatic is available), on the dash (a 12-inch, all-digital LCD screen is available for the dashboard), at the tires (12 wheel choices), on the chassis (MagneRide damper technology is being offered with the Mustang Performance Package), and on the exterior (three new paint colors). And while on the subject of the exterior, there are some notable changes—a lower, remodeled hood, repositioned hood vents, new upper and lower front grilles, LED front lights, revised LED taillamps, new rear bumper and fascia.

  • Ford Copies Nature

    As Nature (yes, capital N Nature) has done a pretty good job of designing things, it is somewhat surprising that Man (ditto) doesn’t follow Nature’s lead more often when it comes to designing objects.

  • Jeeps Modified for Moab

    On Easter morning in Moab, Utah, when the population of that exceedingly-hard-to-get-to town in one of the most beautiful settings on Earth has more than doubled, some people won’t be hunting for Easter eggs, but will be trying to get a good look at one of the vehicles six that Jeep has prepared for real-life, fast-feedback from the assembled at the annual Easter Jeep Safari.

Gardner Business Media - Strategic Business Solutions