Plastic v. Steel
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by: margaret
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Word Count: 355
Vehicle manufacturers are moving toward using more and more plastics, as opposed to steel, when building car bodies. Plastics are less expensive, and in a declining economy, that means the car costs less to build, and less to buy. Furthermore, plastics are lighter than steel, which means that not only is the car less expensive to ship, but the vehicle made with more plastics will likely have a better fuel economy. The car will cost less to run, and car dealerships will have an easier time selling a vehicle that gets more miles to the gallon.
What is the price to pay for this lighter, more eco-friendly shift if not money? Cars with more plastic in the body are not as safe for two main reasons. First, a lighter car is easier to lose control of, and can be moved around more by strong gusts of wind. Second, a plastic body will not protect the car or its passengers as well as steel in the event there is a collision.
Already many bumpers are made out of plastics as opposed to steel or chrome. Instead of hammering out a ding, an entire bumper needs replacing after a fender bender (more like a fender snapper), passing more cost onto the car owner and the insurance companies, which could result, ultimately, in a higher cost of insurance. There go the monetary savings acquired from less expansive manufacturing and a better fuel economy.
However, a better fuel economy means less of an impact on the Earth, which cannot be as easily weighed out by potential monetary costs. Perhaps some of the potential safety issues can be addressed by lowering speed limits on highways and other high-traffic areas to avoid collisions, or by installing more airbags to cushion the blow of a collision.
Either way, the inclusion of a higher percentage of plastics into the manufacture of the body of a car presents both pros and cons...and while the pros are certainly worth investigating, it may be some time before the cons are overcome, allowing manufacturers to realize the benefits of choosing plastic over steel.
About the Author
Margaret is a writer for ERUNIX, Inc.
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