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Light-weight solutions are gaining traction in the development of Electric Vehicles to improve the overall range of the vehicle. One key focus area is to replace metallic structural members with thermoplastic solutions as they contribute to the major weight of the vehicle. However, since the structural components influence the crashworthiness requirements of the vehicle such as frontal, side and rollover impact, the design of the lightweight solutions need to be robust. Rocker panel structures are situated at the bottom of the lateral edges of the vehicle and are intended to absorb the energy during a side crash, protecting the battery from intrusion and shock. Rocker reinforcement is one application targeted by OEM’s to reduce weight and carbon footprint compared to the conventional metallic solutions. In this paper, we discuss the design and development of rocker reinforcements using SABIC’s Specialties NORYL GTXTM resin.

Multi-material solutions for the light weighting of electric and internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles is an emerging trend to replace structural components made of steel/aluminum. Automotive chassis consists of structural members such as rails, posts and rockers, which form frames that need to meet stringent crashworthiness requirements such as frontal, side (IIHS & Pole) and rollover impacts. The high strength steel and aluminum used in these structures are often heavy and require several secondary steps to complete the frame. In the present paper, we discuss the design and optimization of multi-material hybrid rocker panel solutions to meet pole impact requirements and decrease weight with an emphasis on structural battery protection in electric vehicles. Rocker panel structures are situated at the bottom of the lateral edges of the vehicle and extend longitudinally along the length of the vehicle, between the front and rear wheels.