As use of lighter materials to reduce weight in vehicles become more prevalent, fuel efficiency regulations are tightening in the automotive industry and causing supply and demand shifts with these lighter parts. Recent greenhouse gas emission policies are pressuring automakers to improve energy efficiency. The light vehicle market accounts for 30% of North American demand for plastic resins such as polypropylene, polyurethane, nylon, and thermoplastic polyesters, ACC says. For polyvinyl butyral, a resin used in safety glass, the light vehicle market accounts for over 8 5 % of overall demand. The share of plastic and composites in total vehicle weight decreased in 2010 even though their average use per vehicle rose by 2 lbs. Other engineering resins such us polyacetal, polyphenylene ether, thermoplastic polyester engineering resins, and others have supplanted metals in light vehicles during the last two decades, ACC says. Apart from polymers and composites, the typ- ical light vehicle in 2010 also contained 200 lbs of rubber, 54 lbs of man-made fibers, and 34 lbs of coatings.
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