DSM and Renault to develop lighter fuel tanks for hybrid vehicles

DSM Engineering Materials (DSM), the Korea-based global supplier of high-performance plastics, has announced that it has entered into a partnership with Renault to develop a solution to reduce the weight of fuel tanks for hybrid vehicles.

Akulon Fuel Lock, DSM's high-performance, low-carbon footprint PA6 material, is used to develop a lightweight solution for hybrid vehicle fuel tanks. The material allows fuel tanks to be built with blow-moulded, single-layer structures that save weight and cost without compromising safety or risking additional emissions.

DSM's Akulon Fuel Lock material enables the creation of lightweight single-layer fuel tanks with the low permeability required to meet European Union regulations. European Union regulations set carbon emissions at a maximum of 95g/km for passenger vehicles, requiring a careful balance of materials and design to maximize fuel efficiency.

According to DSM, Akulon Fuel Lock PA6 grades are designed for injection or blow moulding and extrusion, and are extremely versatile for rapid design innovation in the e-mobility sector. In fact, the parison stability is very high, so the wall thickness distribution can be made very narrow, and the strong performance at both high and low temperatures ensures safety.

“We will continue to prioritise this important area as we continue to expand our range of high-performance solutions, such as our bio-based Fuel Lock polymers,” said DSM's Global Account Manager. “We hope to help more of our customers achieve their sustainability goals. I look forward to it,” he said.