The mobility sector is accelerating into a new phase of innovation. As pressure mounts to electrify fleets, cut emissions, and meet aggressive sustainability goals, manufacturers are navigating a tightening set of design, performance, and production constraints. Today’s vehicles must be lighter, safer, and more efficient, while still passing compliance and meeting consumer expectations. Solving these demands calls for more than better parts; it requires smarter material strategies, agile supply chains, and the ability to adapt quickly at every step of development.
A growing number of mobility engineers are turning to materials science as a lever for innovation. Whether it’s a metal-to-plastic conversion that cuts weight without sacrificing strength, or a design change that reduces thermal load while improving manufacturability, materials are often the quiet catalyst behind improved electric vehicle (EV) range, cost savings, and faster time-to-market. Behind these gains are deep collaborations between original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), tier suppliers, and trusted partners who understand the technical and commercial pressures shaping the future of mobility.
This article explores the key challenges in vehicle manufacturing where advanced material science is driving meaningful solutions.
Lightweighting Without Compromise
In electric and hybrid vehicles, reducing weight directly influences battery range, energy efficiency, and emissions performance. The shift from metal to plastic components opens up new possibilities, but only when materials meet the structural, thermal, and cosmetic demands of modern automotive design.
Ongoing developments in polymer science have made it easier to strike that balance. Resins such as PC/ABS, nylons, and PPS offer high strength at low weight, and are increasingly tuned for specific use cases. At the same time, digital design tools like mold flow analysis help teams fine-tune parts early in development, improving reliability and speeding up validation.
Weight savings of 30–50% are now common in brackets, housings, and interior structures, translating to lower material costs, simplified assemblies, and improved sustainability without compromising performance.
Enhancing EV Performance & Safety
Electric vehicles operate under high stress: managing thermal loads, electrical currents, and constant vibration. Materials used in battery housings, connectors, and under-the-hood components must withstand these extremes over the full lifecycle of the vehicle.
Thermally conductive polymers are playing a bigger role here, offering the heat management capabilities of metal without the added weight. Formulations with built-in flame retardancy meet stringent OEM, UL94, and IEC safety standards while maintaining manufacturability. Advanced polymers also help dampen vibration and reduce noise, contributing to longer part life and a quieter cabin experience.
As vehicle designs evolve, these material strategies are helping engineers maintain safety, streamline manufacturing, and stay compliant with fast-changing global standards.
Navigating Supply Chains
Supply chain disruptions continue to test the resilience of mobility programs. With lean inventories and global production schedules, even short delays can ripple across a launch timeline or inflate costs.
Many engineering and procurement teams are now adopting dual-sourcing strategies and qualifying alternative materials earlier in development. Proactive inventory management, including on-hand reserves of critical resins, adds a buffer against shortages without tying up excessive capital. When issues arise, on-the-ground technical support for mold trials, troubleshooting, or rapid prototyping can be the difference between a delay and a fix.
These approaches are helping manufacturers protect lead times, control costs, and adapt more quickly to unexpected changes, all while maintaining the quality and performance today’s mobility systems demand.
As an example, Formerra stockpiled 11,000 pounds of specialty material for a Tier 1 supplier during the COVID-19 pandemic, ensuring their EV coolant tubing project stayed on track.
Ensuring Sustainability & Regulatory Compliance
Automakers face mounting pressure to reduce environmental impact while keeping pace with evolving global regulations. This means choosing materials that not only meet performance and aesthetic standards, but also support sustainability goals across sourcing, manufacturing, and end-of-life management.
Recycled and bio-based resins are gaining momentum, especially when they can be adopted without sacrificing durability or visual appeal. Material consolidation, such as reducing the number of resins used across a platform, supports easier recycling, lowers procurement complexity, and can lead to direct cost savings through streamlined sourcing and simplified compliance.
With environmental, social, and governance (ESG) commitments under increasing scrutiny, material choices are becoming a lever for manufacturers to demonstrate progress while improving efficiency and reducing waste along the way.
Why Mobility Innovation Leaders Trust Formerra
Deep Industry Knowledge
Our team includes specialists who understand your priorities and anticipate challenges before they arise.
End-to-End Partnership
From concept to commercialization, Formerra provides:
- Material testing & validation
- Design-for-manufacturing (DFM) support
- Production troubleshooting
- Total cost optimization
Proven Results
Our work produces quantifiable results. We recently partnered with a leading EV manufacturer on a metal-to-plastic conversion that cut their annual production and material costs by over $1.3 million.
This project is one example of the improvements our clients consistently realize:
- Lower overall part costs through targeted material optimization.
- Accelerated production cycles using high-temperature resins and process refinement.
- Improved part quality and reduced waste, achieved with detailed mold flow analysis and direct technical support.
Real-World Stories: Download Our Mobility Innovation Success Guide
In our Mobility Success Guide, you’ll discover how Formerra helped to bring about transformative outcomes out of close collaboration with mobility customers.
Results range from reduced cycle times and cost savings to regulatory wins and breakthroughs in lightweight design.
Each case reflects how thoughtful material selection and technical problem-solving can drive programs forward faster and with less risk.
