Covestro and Li Auto have entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to cooperate in developing cutting-edge material solutions for future-oriented applications as well as enhancing circularity and reducing carbon emissions across the automotive value chain.

Liao Mengjun (standing left), Vice President of R&D Operations at Li Auto, and Guido Naberfeld (standing right), Senior Vice President, Head of Sales and Market Development Mobility at Covestro witnessed the signing of the MOU.

Under the MOU, Covestro and Li Auto will establish a “Joint Innovation Platform” to drive the development and application of more sustainable engineering plastics with alternative feedstocks, such as bio-waste and recycled sources, across various automotive components.

Under this joint platform, the two sides also seek to deepen their collaboration in developing lighting, smart systems, and thermal management solutions. This will include high-performance optical-grade materials, smart surface technologies and thermally conductive solutions.

New Makrolon PC grades unveiled

At the signing event, Covestro and Li Auto also unveiled two innovative jointly-developed materials – light-diffusing and infrared-transparent Makrolon polycarbonates.

The light-diffusing polycarbonate allows for a more refined and evenly-distributed illumination effect for smart headlights. For the new infrared-transparent polycarbonate, it achieves a high transmittance of over 85% in the near-infrared spectrum.

Compared to conventional black polycarbonate, which absorbs solar energy across the entire spectrum, the new material significantly enhances the light aging resistance of components, contributing to greater durability for the smart headlights of Li Auto.