Covestro has partnered with the Research and Development Center of Guangzhou Automobile Group Co. Ltd. to develop a lightweight composite seat back for the Chinese car manufacturer’s latest electric concept car, the ENO.146.
Guangzhou Automobile Group (GAC) touts the ENO.146 concept car as one of the most aerodynamically efficient vehicles in the world and the name pays tribute to a drag coefficient of only 0.146. The NEDC (New European Driving Cycle) range of the vehicle is 1,000 kilometers. The aerodynamic design is needed to achieve these performance goals, but the GAC Research and Development (R&D) Center has also focused on lightweighting and the use of sustainable materials in the ENO.146 all the way to the seats.
“Mobility trends such as electrification and autonomous driving are redefining the role and function of car interiors,” says Zhang Fan, Vice President of the GAC R&D Center. “There is a growing need for material solutions that are lightweight and sustainable while opening up ways to create new user experiences ranging from visual to tactile feedback.”
