Climate change, raw material scarcity, regulatory requirements, and consumer preference for “green products” are key drivers to replace fossil with renewable raw materials in the automotive industry. The challenge for OEMs is how to strike a balance between good technology and climate performance. UPM BioMotionTM RFF provide an excellent solution to overcome this contradiction.
Automotive
Regulatory Challenges
The European Union (EU) has set a binding obligation to become greenhouse gas (GHG) neutral by 2050 with its most recent climate law. The EU’s 2030 reduction targets have been increased from 40% to at least 55% compared to 1990 levels, putting additional pressure on the automotive industry to reduce further their CO₂ emissions per kilometers driven.
UPM BioMotionTM RFF can partially or fully replace traditional functional fillers like carbon black or precipitated silica in virtually all rubber, thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) and, plastic parts applied by automotive industry. In close cooperation with leading car manufacturers, material compounders, and converters, UPM BioMotionTM RFF have been successfully qualified for automotive profiles, coolant hoses, and precision sealings, as well as plastic components used in the interior. Thanks to UPM BioMotionTM RFF the new material generation is characterized by reduced carbon footprints, high renewable material contents, and lower weight.
Further product development activities are ongoing with leading market players in the field of material solutions.