Joint News Release
BASF and GAC R&D Center co-develop concept cars for future mobility
- GAC’s new concept cars, made with BASF materials and solutions, debut at the 16th Guangzhou International Automobile Exhibition (booth location: 2B05)
- First concept car co-developed by BASF and a Chinese OEM
- Solutions to help transform electric concept car from design to reality
- Design, style and functionality meet diverse needs of China’s drivers
Guangzhou, China – November 17, 2018 – BASF and the Research and Development Center of Guangzhou Automobile Group Co. Ltd. (GAC R&D Center) today introduced three co-developed electric concept cars, featuring futuristic designs that address the diverse needs of China’s drivers.
Debuted at the Auto Guangzhou 2018, the three two-seat concept electric cars are designed by GAC R&D Center, with advanced prototyping support from designfabrik®, BASF’s dedicated touch-point for engaging and inspiring designers. With BASF’s innovative materials and solutions, the new concept cars appeal to, and address the diverse needs of a wide variety of drivers: senior citizens, female drivers, and more. They also address the trend towards car sharing, one of the fastest growing urban mobility concepts worldwide.
“Car sharing and electrification are highly important developments in the world’s largest auto market. Additionally, the needs and individual style preferences of Chinese drivers have become more diverse due to an increasing number of female drivers and senior drivers,” said Zhang Fan, Vice President, GAC R&D Center. “BASF’s innovative materials enable flexible design and extended functionalities that best serve the different styles in our concept vehicles.”
From holistic air cleaning solutions to seat fabrics, as well as materials used to build the body panels and battery pack of the electric vehicles, BASF’s innovative solutions turn ideas into solutions. Exterior auto body paints co-developed by BASF and GAC R&D Center underline a unique personality for each concept vehicle.
“In China, we see strong consumer demand for individualized car experiences and extended functionalities of passenger cars,” said Dr. Zheng Daqing, Senior Vice President, Business and Market Development Greater China, BASF. “This is the first time BASF has cooperated with a Chinese OEM to develop concept vehicles. We are excited to work with GAC R&D Center in shaping future mobility with our sustainable and innovative materials and solutions.”
Details of BASF materials and solutions on the three concept cars exhibited at the 16th Guangzhou International Automobile Exhibition include:
2U: Designed to appeal to women seeking an automotive look that meets their individual style, this car showcases possibilities including a unique seat design with translucent trim parts made of BASF’s Ultramid® Vision. The fur-like surface of the passenger’s seat design is brought to life with BASF’s Adsint® TPU 3D printing solution.
2US: A two-seater electric vehicle designed for senior drivers has a unique design feature of a rotational seat base. It helps elderly drivers and passengers get into and out of the vehicle with ease. The plastic gears made from BASF Ultramid® Advanced N ensure a smooth operation of the rotation mechanism, which is designed to rotate 90 degrees horizontally in-and-out of the car cabin.
2ALL: This vehicle features several design elements to address the particular needs of car sharing, including easy operation and low maintenance. For example, the front bumper made from BASF’s Elastollan® HPM, have an outstanding anti-scratch elastomer pad design. The seat back and pan cushion made with BASF’s Infinergy® E-TPU particle foams perfectly combine comfort with robustness.
About BASF and the automotive industry
The automotive industry is one of BASF’s key customer industries. In 2017, BASF’s automotive driven sales totaled €11.4 billion – representing approximately 18 percent of BASF Group’s sales. BASF supplies and develops functional materials and solutions that enable vehicles to be built more efficiently and have a lower environmental impact, whatever powertrain technology they use. BASF’s product range includes for example plastics, coatings, catalysts, automotive fluids as well as battery materials. With such an extensive range of products, BASF is the world’s leading chemical supplier to the automotive industry. BASF cooperates closely with customers all over the world through a network embracing Europe, Asia-Pacific, North and South America as well as Africa. Further information on BASF’s solutions for the automotive industry is available at automotive.basf.com.
About BASF
At BASF, we create chemistry for a sustainable future. We combine economic success with environmental protection and social responsibility. The more than 115,000 employees in the BASF Group work on contributing to the success of our customers in nearly all sectors and almost every country in the world. Our portfolio is organized into four segments: Chemicals, Performance Products, Functional Materials & Solutions and Agricultural Solutions. BASF generated sales of more than €60 billion in 2017. BASF shares are traded on the stock exchanges in Frankfurt (BAS), London (BFA) and Zurich (BAS). Further information at www.basf.com.
About GAC R&D Center
Established in 2006, GAC R&D Center serves as the innovation and technology hub for Guangzhou Automobile Group. The near 4,000 researchers in GAC R&D Center work in 15 laboratories, a trial plant that include painting, assembly and machining, and a test track.
