Planet Ford in Spring not only cares about our community and customers, we care about our environment too. Many of us have heard about the mounting plastic bottle concerns and know that recycling helps the environment. So, Ford is helping rev up new ways they can be used — they are going into new Ford Vehicles.
Ford uses about 1.2 billion recycled plastic bottles per year. That is 250 bottles per vehicle on average. These plastic bottles are used for underbody shields on all cars and SUVs, and wheel liners on F-Series trucks.
Aerodynamics has become a huge part of Ford designs, using recycled plastic bottles is both environmentally friendly and lightweight.
“The underbody shield is a huge part, and for a part that big, if we use solid plastic, it would likely weigh three times as much,” said Thomas Sweder, design engineer, Ford Motor Company. “We aim to find the most durable and highest performing materials to work with to make our parts, and in this case, we are also creating many environmental benefits.”
How Does it Work?
When plastic bottles are put into a recycling bin, they are collected with thousands of others and shredded into tiny pieces. That’s typically sold to suppliers who turn it into a fiber, by a process of melting the bottle and extruding it. Then the fibers are mixed together with other various types of fiber in a textile process and used to make a sheet of material that is then formed into the automotive parts.
Recycled plastic is ideal for the manufacture of underbody shields, engine under shield and front and rear wheel arch liners thanks to its lightweight, which can improve vehicle aerodynamics. For example on the all-new 2020 Ford Escape, these shields also help create a significantly quieter environment.
“Ford is among the leaders when it comes to using recycled materials such as this, and we do it because it makes sense technically and economically as much as it makes sense for the environment,” Sweder said. “This material meets all of our robust specifications for durability and performance.”
Ready to help do your part by selecting a new vehicle that is recycling and reusing for the betterment of our environment? Visit Planet Ford on I-45 at the Louetta exit (serving The Woodlands, Cypress, greater Houston, Aldine, Conroe, Tomball) or shop online anytime at PlanetFord45.com!