SABIC Innovative Plastics' Xenoy* PC/PBT alloy resin helped designers of Hyundai i10, an export-oriented city car by Hyundai Motor India Limited (HMIL), to produce energy absorber (EA) that complied with the strict European Union's safety regulations for pedestrian lower leg impact. The Xenoy resin, which substituted the otherwise bulky expanded polypropylene (EPP) foam in the EA of the compact car, played an important part in its entry into the EU by overcoming the challenges posed by the space constraints of the car. The company claims that superior energy absorption efficiency of Xenoy resin compared to EPP, made it comply with the EU requirements within the allotted space.
Xenoy resin provided several performance advantages over EPP that allowed Hyundai to comply with Phase II of the EU's pedestrian safety standard. Relative to EPP, Xenoy resin provides 60-70% energy absorption efficiency compared to about 45% for EPP which means Xenoy need less space to deliver same performance. The resin also performs better at temperature extremes from -30C to 60C and has deviation less than 10%. The partnership for production of the Hyundai i10 EA adds to the company's collaboration with SABIC Innovative Plastics on the QarmaQ Advanced Technology Demonstration Vehicle and the development of its Elastic Front safety system concept. The car won the 2008 Indian Car of the Year award and recorded exceptional domestic as well export sales following EU launch at the Bologna Motor Show in December 2007.
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