12
June
2017
|
00:00
Europe/Amsterdam
Innovative materials for electric mobility
Summary
World’s toughest solar car race / Covestro and PPG test automotive coatings in extreme climate / Longstanding partnership with RWTH Aachen University
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Covestro supports an ambitious project of students at RWTH Aachen University and Aachen University of Applied Sciences. The material manufacturer supports the development of a solar-powered electric car with material donations, technical service and as a gold sponsor. The car is intended to participate in the probably toughest solar car race in the world, the World Solar Challenge 2017 in October in Australia. The young researchers want to show that innovative and sustainable mobility concepts are already possible today.
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Covestro wants to take advantage of the Sonnenwagen project to test various materials under the harsh climate conditions prevailing along the race’s route. A special focus is on the top clearcoat from PPG, a leading global manufacturer of automotive coatings. It is formulated with the bio-based hardener Desmodur[<sup style="font-size:0.875em">®</sup>] eco N 7300 from Covestro, 70 percent of whose carbon content is sourced from biomass.
How can we make the mobility of the future as sustainable as possible? A group of highly motivated students at RWTH Aachen University and Aachen University of Applied Sciences posed this question and, to find out, dedicated their efforts to an ambitious project: the development of a solar-powered electric car for what is likely to be the toughest solar car race in the world, the World Solar Challenge 2017 from October 8 to 15 in Australia. To make their idea a reality, the approximately 45 junior researchers established the “Sonnenwagen Aachen e.V.” association, with the support of their professors.
Covestro, a leading global supplier of innovative and sustainable material solutions, shares the students’ enthusiasm and wants to join forces with them to push existing boundaries and make the project a success. The company has cultivated a long-term partnership with the distinguished university and is supporting the “Sonnenwagen” (German for “solar car”) project as both a material and technical service provider and Gold Sponsor. The two partners recently signed a cooperation agreement for the project.
Partnership for solar mobility
“As sustainability is part of our strategy, we support this ambitious project, in which young researchers want to show that innovative and sustainable mobility concepts are already possible today,” says Dr. Markus Steilemann, Board Member for Innovation and Chief Commercial Officer of Covestro. “Solar mobility can make a key contribution to protecting the climate and conserving fossil resources. With our developments and this project partnership, we want to demonstrate our commitment to innovation and sustainability, but also to supporting junior talents.”
Hendrik Löbberding, First Chairman of Team Sonnenwagen, welcomes the new partner: “We are very grateful for Covestro’s support and will benefit above all from its superior competence in materials.” The Leverkusen-based company already has gained extensive experience using its innovative materials for solar mobility: As an official partner of the Solar Impulse project, it made a significant contribution to the success of the first manned flight around the globe in an aircraft powered exclusively by solar energy.
Road test: automotive coating with bio-based hardener
Covestro wants to take advantage of the Sonnenwagen project to test various materials under the harsh climate conditions prevailing along the race’s route: temperatures of up to 45 degrees Celsius, high UV radiation and a high air dust content are typical there in October. The most important product application is a three-layer polyurethane coating from PPG, a leading global manufacturer of automotive coatings. The coating is particularly suited to application on body parts made of carbon fiber composites.
The climate conditions have a significant impact on the top clearcoat. It is formulated with the bio-based hardener Desmodur® eco N 7300 from Covestro, 70 percent of whose carbon content is sourced from biomass.
The Sonnenwagen further incorporates polyurethane and polycarbonate materials from Covestro, which contribute to the lightweight and aerodynamic design of the solar car.
Acid test for solar cars
The World Solar Challenge is considered to be the toughest solar race on earth and celebrates its 30th anniversary this year. Teams from all over the world compete every two years in their homemade vehicles to win the 3,000 kilometer race from Darwin to Adelaide – without using one drop of fuel.
The Sonnenwagen from Aachen will be the only German car going to the starting line in the Challenger Class this year. The team is very optimistic about its chances in the race: “We already have experience with zero-emission mobility and feel well-equipped to take part in the competition with the roughly 40 other teams from five continents,” says Hendrik Löbberding of Sonnenwagen Aachen team.
Two members of the association raced an electric car in, and won, the e-CROSS Germany, a four-day, climate-neutral rally through North Rhine-Westphalia. One month prior, the Sonnenwagen members accompanied a team from Bochum in the European Solar Challenge 2016, a 24-hour race in solar cars.
About Covestro:
With 2016 sales of EUR 11.9 billion, Covestro is among the world’s largest polymer companies. Business activities are focused on the manufacture of high-tech polymer materials and the development of innovative solutions for products used in many areas of daily life. The main segments served are the automotive, construction, wood processing and furniture, and electrical and electronics industries. Other sectors include sports and leisure, cosmetics, health and the chemical industry itself. Covestro, formerly Bayer MaterialScience, has 30 production sites worldwide and employs approximately 15,600 people (calculated as full-time equivalents) at the end of 2016.
About Sonnenwagen Aachen:
Sonnenwagen Aachen exists as a registered association since September 2015 and consists of 40 committed students from RWTH Aachen University and FH Aachen University of Applied Science. The aim is to construct a solar-powered electric vehicle and participate in the Bridgestone World Solar Challenge in October 2017 - an emission-free race across the outback of Australia. As the only German team in the Challenger class, Sonnenwagen Aachen will compete on the 3022 km track with other international teams. By participating in the race Sonnenwagen Aachen wants to raise awareness for sustainable mobility and contribute to the development of the corresponding technologies themselves.
Find more information at www.covestro.com, www.sonnenwagen.org, www.worldsolarchallenge.org and http://ppgrefinish.com/.
Follow us on Twitter: www.twitter.com/CovestroGroup
Forward-looking statements
This news release may contain forward-looking statements based on current assumptions and forecasts made by Covestro AG. Various known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors could lead to material differences between the actual future results, financial situation, development or performance of the company and the estimates given here. These factors include those discussed in Covestro’s public reports which are available at www.covestro.com. The company assumes no liability whatsoever to update these forward-looking statements or to conform them to future events or developments.
Covestro, a leading global supplier of innovative and sustainable material solutions, shares the students’ enthusiasm and wants to join forces with them to push existing boundaries and make the project a success. The company has cultivated a long-term partnership with the distinguished university and is supporting the “Sonnenwagen” (German for “solar car”) project as both a material and technical service provider and Gold Sponsor. The two partners recently signed a cooperation agreement for the project.
Partnership for solar mobility
“As sustainability is part of our strategy, we support this ambitious project, in which young researchers want to show that innovative and sustainable mobility concepts are already possible today,” says Dr. Markus Steilemann, Board Member for Innovation and Chief Commercial Officer of Covestro. “Solar mobility can make a key contribution to protecting the climate and conserving fossil resources. With our developments and this project partnership, we want to demonstrate our commitment to innovation and sustainability, but also to supporting junior talents.”
Hendrik Löbberding, First Chairman of Team Sonnenwagen, welcomes the new partner: “We are very grateful for Covestro’s support and will benefit above all from its superior competence in materials.” The Leverkusen-based company already has gained extensive experience using its innovative materials for solar mobility: As an official partner of the Solar Impulse project, it made a significant contribution to the success of the first manned flight around the globe in an aircraft powered exclusively by solar energy.
Road test: automotive coating with bio-based hardener
Covestro wants to take advantage of the Sonnenwagen project to test various materials under the harsh climate conditions prevailing along the race’s route: temperatures of up to 45 degrees Celsius, high UV radiation and a high air dust content are typical there in October. The most important product application is a three-layer polyurethane coating from PPG, a leading global manufacturer of automotive coatings. The coating is particularly suited to application on body parts made of carbon fiber composites.
The climate conditions have a significant impact on the top clearcoat. It is formulated with the bio-based hardener Desmodur® eco N 7300 from Covestro, 70 percent of whose carbon content is sourced from biomass.
The Sonnenwagen further incorporates polyurethane and polycarbonate materials from Covestro, which contribute to the lightweight and aerodynamic design of the solar car.
Acid test for solar cars
The World Solar Challenge is considered to be the toughest solar race on earth and celebrates its 30th anniversary this year. Teams from all over the world compete every two years in their homemade vehicles to win the 3,000 kilometer race from Darwin to Adelaide – without using one drop of fuel.
The Sonnenwagen from Aachen will be the only German car going to the starting line in the Challenger Class this year. The team is very optimistic about its chances in the race: “We already have experience with zero-emission mobility and feel well-equipped to take part in the competition with the roughly 40 other teams from five continents,” says Hendrik Löbberding of Sonnenwagen Aachen team.
Two members of the association raced an electric car in, and won, the e-CROSS Germany, a four-day, climate-neutral rally through North Rhine-Westphalia. One month prior, the Sonnenwagen members accompanied a team from Bochum in the European Solar Challenge 2016, a 24-hour race in solar cars.
About Covestro:
With 2016 sales of EUR 11.9 billion, Covestro is among the world’s largest polymer companies. Business activities are focused on the manufacture of high-tech polymer materials and the development of innovative solutions for products used in many areas of daily life. The main segments served are the automotive, construction, wood processing and furniture, and electrical and electronics industries. Other sectors include sports and leisure, cosmetics, health and the chemical industry itself. Covestro, formerly Bayer MaterialScience, has 30 production sites worldwide and employs approximately 15,600 people (calculated as full-time equivalents) at the end of 2016.
About Sonnenwagen Aachen:
Sonnenwagen Aachen exists as a registered association since September 2015 and consists of 40 committed students from RWTH Aachen University and FH Aachen University of Applied Science. The aim is to construct a solar-powered electric vehicle and participate in the Bridgestone World Solar Challenge in October 2017 - an emission-free race across the outback of Australia. As the only German team in the Challenger class, Sonnenwagen Aachen will compete on the 3022 km track with other international teams. By participating in the race Sonnenwagen Aachen wants to raise awareness for sustainable mobility and contribute to the development of the corresponding technologies themselves.
Find more information at www.covestro.com, www.sonnenwagen.org, www.worldsolarchallenge.org and http://ppgrefinish.com/.
Follow us on Twitter: www.twitter.com/CovestroGroup
Forward-looking statements
This news release may contain forward-looking statements based on current assumptions and forecasts made by Covestro AG. Various known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors could lead to material differences between the actual future results, financial situation, development or performance of the company and the estimates given here. These factors include those discussed in Covestro’s public reports which are available at www.covestro.com. The company assumes no liability whatsoever to update these forward-looking statements or to conform them to future events or developments.