A plastic metal hybrid is not a type of hybrid vehicle, but rather it is a stamped piece of metal that uses internal plastic ribbing. The plastic support is injection molded directly around the metal parts, which results in the plastic being wrapped around the edges of the metal so that it stays firmly and securely attached.
By creating plastic metal hybrids, manufacturers are able to create parts that have all the stiffness and strength of steel or other hard metals with the intricate design detail that only plastic can provide. The resulting product is much lighter in weight while providing the same amount of strength.
Today, car manufacturers use this high-strength, lightweight material to create front end structures, roof rails and door frames for many different types of vehicles. In fact, the number of parts that are being produced with this type of plastic metal hybrid grows every year. By using plastic metal hybrid parts, manufacturers can create high-strength, safe vehicles that weigh much less and require far less horsepower and torque to achieve adequate driving speeds.
Plastic metal hybrid parts will certainly be instrumental in helping manufacturers of all types of hybrid cars create more affordable, more fuel-efficient hybrid cars and trucks. By reducing the weight in a vehicle, car manufacturers have many more options in creating more efficient electric and gas engines that can conserve fuel while adequately powering the vehicle. In fact, some vehicle manufacturers are already attempting to create vehicles that are constructed out of as much as 60% or 70% of a plastic metal hybrid material.
