Plastic Plymouth Cars - CCV (1998)
According to Ken Mack, who manages the development of a "Composite Concept Vehicle" (CCV), Chrysler is on the verge of a successful low-cost, light-weight, and durable plastic car. Using old plastic soda bottles, chopped glass, rubber, and a substance to resist the effect of ultraviolet radiation, Mack's group can form a four-piece body that goes on top of a lightweight frame. No painting is needed.
The resulting car is about 1,200 pounds and can sell for about $6,000, thanks to a simple assembly process and the lack of paint. It would also be completely recyclable, so that old CCVs could end up being new ones, further reducing costs.
The CCV program was initiated by Bob Lutz, CC President, in late 1993. Like the Patriot hybrid racing vehicle, it was the result of collaborations with suppliers. The first CCV to be exhibited by Chrysler was the Pronto. A more advanced model was shown in September in Germany, and Mack expects that production could begin in three years.
The CCV initially would probably be sold in China and India, where lightweight personal transportation, such as the bicycle, is the norm. The current two-cylinder engine generates 25 mph and gets 50 mpg, with a top speed ofo 70 mph. At this point, the CCV is fairly safe in 35-mph frontal crash tests, rollover tests, and rear-end collisions (to ensure that the fuel tank is safe in an accident), but it does not meet US side-impact standards. More information: The CCV requires about 6.5 hours to build, as opposed to 19 for the Neon.
Plant investment is about $300 million - roughly one third of that required for "normal" cars. Tooling cost is also about one third that of normal cars. There are no warranty or environmental issues related to paint, since the cars have an unpainted matte finish. The composite itself costs about one third of what ordinary materials would cost. The plant could be about one tenth the size of current car plants, and could be started quickly.
The body is only four parts (traditional bodies are 75-100 parts) and joins with four bolts and adhesive.
The CCV is currently 18% larger inside than typical 5-passenger compacts. It has four doors, removable rear seats, a soft canvas top, and is designed for right or left hand drive.
There are some problems, including meeting crash tests without a steel substructure, figuring out how to do bodywork so collision damage is invisible, ensuring long-term durability, and getting people to buy a car with a matte finish. The air-cooled engine takes 25 seconds to reach 60 miles per hour.
