Performance Polymers
Concept Car RN30
Chemistry supercharged – BASF and Hyundai Motor partnered for high performance RN30 Concept Car
BASF and Hyundai Motor have partnered once again to present an impressive showcase of emotion and technical substance: The concept car RN30 was created to offer pure driving pleasure on the race track for everybody and features the latest in innovative automotive solutions – driven by BASF.
In 2016, it had its debut at Paris Motor Show 2016 and was presented at K Fair in Dusseldorf. The RN30 combines key solutions from the chemical industry with purposeful aerodynamic design and specialized high-performance technologies. BASF contributes significantly to the concept with lightweight plastics, endless possibilities in design as well as durable and eco-friendly materials.
Hyundai RN30
Fender and Spoiler
Due to their outstanding flowability, Elastolit® rigid integral foam and reaction injection molding (RIM) systems developed for body panels permit the realization of even the most challenging designs like the RN30’s fender and spoiler. The components are distinguished by their superlative quality combined with low weight and can readily be painted thanks to their Class A surface.
Electronics and Electric
With BASF’s new polyphthalamide Ultramid® Advanced N, demands for miniaturization, functional integration and freedom of design can be met – especially with parts that are employed under increasingly challenging operating conditions across a wide temperature range. Ultramid® Advanced N can be used in electronic components as well as structural parts near the engine and the gearbox in contact with hot, aggressive media and different fuels.
Body coating
Color inspires imagination and individualization. BASF’s waterborne ColorPro IC “Performance Blue” is one of the latest generations of individual colors. Its broad color spectrum, flexibility and unmatched quality give the RN30 its dazzling appearance.
Dashboard
BASF’s water-based binder Acrodur® strengthens the natural fibers and enables an environmentally compatible, dimensionally stable and, above all, light-weight solution for car composites such as dashboards and door panels of the RN30 which can be finished in various ways for high-quality design.
Seat cover/steering wheel
The seats are equipped with BASF’s patented transfer coating technology valure™ which enables high-quality surfaces with almost limitless design options as well as unique material combinations with a wide variety of flexible substrates. The coated surface remains breathable and feels soft. So it’s only the adrenaline kick that makes the race driver sweat, not the seat cover.
Windows
Race cars have been reduced to the max to avoid any unnecessary ballast weight such as air conditioning. Keeping the car still cool and comfortable can be achieved with heat management solutions like BASF’s near infrared-reflective films, which protect the windows against solar heat. The entirely organic and transparent film has an advantage over metal films in that it is designed to filter out only infrared rays while allowing other rays such as light, GPS and telephone signals to pass through to maintain the optimal driving experience and visibility.
Seat pan/backrest
For parts with complex geometry such as the seat shell and pan of the RN30, BASF offers Ultracom®, a thermoplastic composite system for parts with continuous fiber reinforcement in injection-molded structures. This next big step forward in metal substitution allows the seat to be lighter while still maintaining optimum strength and rigidity. The two seat components owe their final shape to a matched combination of semi-finished products like tapes or laminates and injection-molding compounds. In the realization of such parts, BASF’s unique simulation tool Ultrasim®, as well as its Ultratest® parts testing facilities and processing technologies play a major role.
Roll bar padding
When driving at maximum speed on a race track, it is of utmost importance that the driver can rely on the uncompromising quality of durable and reliable materials in the different safety systems. Infinergy® is the world’s first expanded thermoplastic polyurethane. Combined with an elastic coating it is used in the roll bar padding of the RN30 because of its long-term durability and outstanding resilience.
Brake fluid
Speed is nothing without control. Thus, fast cars also need high performance brake systems. BASF has developed a breakthrough technology, Hydraulan® 406 ESI, which exceeds all technical challenges and fulfills demanding legislative requirements by extending the durability of the brake elastomer. It is a new benchmark for the superior performance of a modern brake fluid.
Trunk floor
The RN30 features semi-structural sandwich solutions for the trunk floor, providing a considerable weight reduction as well as a highly efficient production process. Elastoflex® E, a spray-impregnated polyurethane for very light and stiff sandwich structures consisting of a long fiber reinforced surface layer and a paper honeycomb, is the ideal material for these applications.
