Syensqo and ZF pocket SPE award with outboard housing for Volvo EX90

The outboard housing developed by Syensqo, a leader in high-performance specialty polymers, and ZF, a Tier 1 supplying advanced mobility systems, for Volvo’s EX90 electric vehicle has won third place in the Chassis Unit - Structural Component category of Automotive Award 2024 by the Society of Plastics Engineers (SPE) Central Europe.

Volvo EX90 pure electric 7-seater SUV. 

Manufactured using Xencor HPPA long glass fiber (LGF) reinforced thermoplastic, the outboard housing features exceptional rigidity, sustainability, and dimensional stability. It is the first to be used in a steering system over a metal one.

The combination of Xencor HPPA long-fiber technology with the component’s design, achieves the necessary rigidity and stability to withstand extreme temperatures (-40°C to +125°C) and dynamic loads, all while offering a favorable cost-performance ratio. The use of the thermoplastic material over metal also enabled weight saving of approximately 40% in this application.

Syensqo team receives the SPE Automotive Award.

Given the safety-critical nature of the steering system, Syensqo developed comprehensive durability and aging models to ensure long-term reliability. The innovative one-shot injection molding process used for this component allows the integration of functional elements, such as metal dowel pins for precise alignment and molded sealing ribs to enhance sealing performance.

Unlike traditional aluminum high-pressure die-casting housings, the thermoplastic material provides inherent corrosion resistance, eliminating the need for additional anodization.