��AV Press

��AV Sonnenwagen: Full throttle with solar power

Tue, 02 Jul 2019 00:00:00 +0200

For several years now, a highly motivated team of students from RWTH Aachen University and FH Aachen has been working on the question of how to make electric mobility more sustainable. The goal of this is to develop an electric car powered by solar energy that will compete in the world's toughest solar car race – the .

Following the initial successful participation at the race in Australia 2017 as "Best Newcomer" and the third place at the European Solar Challenge 2018, the team now wants to build on these experiences and challenge the next step at the World Solar Challenge 2019. "There we want to take on the challenge of the world's leading developers from Delft, Michigan and Leuven in Belgium," says Markus Eckstein, first chairman for the Sonnenwagen Team.

As a leading global provider of innovative and sustainable materials solutions, ��AV shares the students' enthusiasm and will work with them to push the boundaries of that which is possible and make the project a success. Julia Cramer, heading the project at ��AV, explains: "We have been working together with the renowned RTWH Aachen for a long time and, after the successful cooperation in 2017, are now supporting the solar car project with a variety of materials and technical services as well as being the main sponsor". The primary objective is to test new materials under the extreme climatic conditions of the track.

Partnership for solar mobility

Global trends such as climate protection and the conservation of resources coupled with increasing mobility are forcing car manufacturers to rethink. Trends such as electric mobility, networking, autonomous driving and car sharing require totally new vehicle concepts and technologies. Lightweight and functional materials from ��AV reduce fuel consumption and play an important role in extending the range of electric vehicles, for example. They also impart the required stability.

Sustainability is a central component of ��AV's corporate strategy, and solar mobility could make an important contribution to climate protection and the conservation of fossil resources. That is why ��AV is supporting this ambitious project and intensifying its cooperation with the Sonnenwagen Team. Thanks to its innovative materials, the company is providing solutions for the mobility of the future. One of ��AV's forward-looking goals is to support automotive concepts in which vehicles generate energy while in motion. Another objective is to test materials that could later be used in other applications. ��AV is also promoting young talent with this project.

The new ��AV Sonnenwagen is scheduled to be presented to the public for the first time in Aachen on 22 July.

About ��AV:

With 2018 sales of EUR 14.6 billion, ��AV is among the world’s largest polymer companies. Business activities are focused on the manufacture of high-tech polymer materials and the development of innovative solutions for products used in many areas of daily life. The main segments served are the automotive, construction, wood processing and furniture, and electrical and electronics industries. Other sectors include sports and leisure, cosmetics, health and the chemical industry itself. ��AV has 30 production sites worldwide and employs approximately 16,800 people (calculated as full-time equivalents) at the end of 2018.

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Forward-looking statements

This news release may contain forward-looking statements based on current assumptions and forecasts made by ��AV. Various known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors could lead to material differences between the actual future results, financial situation, development or performance of the company and the estimates given here. These factors include those discussed in ��AV’s public reports which are available at www.covestro.com. The company assumes no liability whatsoever to update these forward-looking statements or to conform them to future events or developments.

Sonnenwagen – the success story goes on

Thu, 11 Oct 2018 00:00:00 +0200

For a few years now, a team of highly motivated students from RWTH Aachen University and FH Aachen has been working on the question of how to make electric mobility even more sustainable. Their goal is to develop a solar-powered electric car to take part in the toughest solar car races in the world. After the successful initial participation at the World Solar Challenge in Australia in 2017 as "Best Newcomer" and the achievement of the third place at the European Solar Challenge 2018, the team now wants to take the next step based on the accumulated experience and in the World Solar Challenge 2019 attack the world leaders around the teams from Stanford, Delft and Cambridge.

��AV, a leading global provider of innovative and sustainable material solutions, shares the students' enthusiasm and will work with them to push existing boundaries to make the project a success. The company has a long-standing partnership with the renowned RWTH Aachen University and, following the successful and fruitful cooperation in the 2017 season, is supporting the solar car project with a variety of materials and technical services as well as being the main sponsor. Both partners have now signed a cooperation agreement on the project.

Partnership for solar mobility
"Sustainability is a core component of our corporate strategy, and solar mobility can make an important contribution to climate protection and the conservation of fossil resources," says Dr. Markus Steilemann, CEO of ��AV. "That is why we are supporting this ambitious project and intensifying our cooperation with the Sonnenwagen team. We use our innovative materials to provide solutions for future mobility. With this project, we are also promoting young talents.”

Markus Eckstein, first chairman of the Sonnenwagen team, welcomes the extended partnership: "We are very pleased to have ��AV back as a supporter. The cooperation with ��AV was already an important mainstay at the recent World Solar Challenge and helped us to reach the finish line in Adelaide as ´Best Newcomer´. The Sonnenwagen team can once again benefit from the high level of material expertise.”

Innovative materials for future mobility
The Leverkusen-based company has already gained some experience in solar mobility with innovative material developments: As an official partner of the Solar Impulse project, it made an important contribution to the success of the first manned, round-the-world flight with an airplane powered only by solar energy.

The test of a polyurethane car repair clearcoat from PPG at the World Challenge 2017, in which the biobased hardener Desmodur^® eco N 7300 from ��AV was used, was also successful. It also withstood the harsh climatic conditions in Australia.

The material and development cooperation will now be further expanded for 2019. A ��AV development team will be involved in the production plans of the solar car in order to contribute to an even lighter and more aerodynamic solar car design.

Successful start at the European Solar Challenge
As a first step on the way to Australia, the Sonnenwagen team has already successfully mastered the European Solar Challenge on the former Formula 1 race track in Zolder, Belgium. The aim of the race is not only to cover the greatest possible distance within 24 hours, but also to score points with innovations in vehicle development, the most constant 8-lap times and the fastest lap driven. The Sonnenwagen team was able to finish the toughest 24-hour race for solar vehicles in third place in the Challenger class.

"It couldn't get any better; despite the very difficult race course and the adverse weather conditions, we were able to get the optimum out of the race result," said first team chairman Markus Eckstein after the race. "We are confident that we will be able to take the upturn in success in Belgium with us to Australia and start there with a view to the podium as well.”

In addition, two members of the association won with an electric car now three years in a row at the e-CROSS Germany, a four-day, climate-neutral rally through North Rhine-Westphalia.

World's toughest solar race
The World Solar Challenge is considered to be the toughest solar race on earth and celebrated its 30th anniversary in 2017. Every two years, teams from all over the world compete to be the fastest to cover the 3,000 kilometer stretch from Darwin to Adelaide with homemade vehicles – without a drop of fuel.

About ��AV:
With 2017 sales of EUR 14.1 billion, ��AV is among the world’s largest polymer companies. Business activities are focused on the manufacture of high-tech polymer materials and the development of innovative solutions for products used in many areas of daily life. The main segments served are the automotive, construction, wood processing and furniture, and electrical and electronics industries. Other sectors include sports and leisure, cosmetics, health and the chemical industry itself. ��AV has 30 production sites worldwide and employs approximately 16,200 people (calculated as full-time equivalents) at the end of 2017.

About Sonnenwagen Aachen:
Sonnenwagen Aachen is an association registered since September 2015 and consists of 40 committed students of the RWTH Aachen University and the FH Aachen University of Applied Science. The aim of the association is to design and manufacture a solar-powered electric vehicle and to take part in the Bridgestone World Solar Challenge in October 2017 – an emission-free race across the Australian outback. As the only German team in the Challenger class, Team Sonnenwagen Aachen will compete with other international teams on the 3,022 km-long track. The central objective underlying participation in the races is to raise society's awareness regarding the issue of sustainable mobility and to contribute to the development of appropriate technologies.

This press release can be downloaded from ��AV's press server at and from Sonnenwagen Aachen's website at .

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Forward-looking statements
This news release may contain forward-looking statements based on current assumptions and forecasts made by ��AV. Various known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors could lead to material differences between the actual future results, financial situation, development or performance of the company and the estimates given here. These factors include those discussed in ��AV’s public reports which are available at . The company assumes no liability whatsoever to update these forward-looking statements or to conform them to future events or developments.

First automotive refinish coating with bio-based hardener

Fri, 22 Sep 2017 00:00:00 +0200

Electric mobility and photovoltaics play a vital role in protecting the climate and conserving fossil resources. Combining them leads to even more innovative and sustainable mobility concepts. To show that these kinds of solutions are already feasible using state-of-the-art materials and technologies, a team of around 45 young researchers has developed a solar-powered electric car. Calling themselves “Team Sonnenwagen,” the students from RWTH Aachen University and Aachen University of Applied Sciences intend to enter their vehicle in the Bridgestone World Solar Challenge 2017 in Australia, probably the toughest race in the world for solar cars.

��AV is supporting the Sonnenwagen project with materials and technical service and as a gold sponsor. The company wants to use the project to test coatings under the harsh climate conditions prevailing along the race’s route. Temperatures in the Australian desert can soar to as much as 45 degrees Celsius in October, with intense UV radiation. This time of year also typically sees a high particle concentration in the air.

Road test: automotive coating with sustainable raw material
The most important product application is a three-layer polyurethane coating from PPG, world leaders in paints, coatings and specialty materials, and experts in automotive coatings. The coating system is particularly suited to coating body parts made of carbon fiber composites. Climate conditions have a significant impact on the top clearcoat. The Sonnenwagen uses an innovative automotive refinish coating that contains ��AV’s bio-based hardener Desmodur® eco N 7300. “Some 70 percent of its carbon content comes from biomass,” explains Ulf Wentzien, global head of Industrial Marketing in the Coatings, Adhesives, Specialties Business Unit at ��AV. “This reduces the environmental footprint by around 30 percent.”

“The bio-based hardener achieved the highest sustainability standards and meets both our customers’ and our own requirements,” says Ignasi Roig, EMEA Product Platform Manager at PPG Refinish. “The coating is to the same outstanding quality as a polyurethane clearcoat with a conventionally produced hardener.”

Easy processing
The two-component coating is also impressive on the practical side. In PPG’s training center in Hilden, it was applied to the Sonnenwagen's bodywork parts under similar conditions to an automotive paint shop. The application can be viewed in a video, see . The coating is particularly suitable for the temperature-sensitive surface of the solar-powered car as it hardens at low temperatures.

��AV and PPG have been working together in the field of coatings development for many years now. Both partners are using the Sonnenwagen project to demonstrate the role coatings can play in sustainable mobility.

Tough test for solar cars
The World Solar Challenge is considered to be the toughest race on Earth for solar cars and this year celebrates its 30th anniversary. From October 8 to 15, 2017, approx. 40 teams from all over the world will be competing in their “homemade” vehicles to win the 3,000 kilometer race from Darwin to Adelaide – without using one drop of fuel. The Sonnenwagen from Aachen will be the only German car going to the starting line in the Challenger Class this year.

��AV has a long-standing partnership with the RWTH Aachen University. “Through our developments and this project partnership, we are committed to future mobility and aim to show that these kinds of concepts are already feasible,” says ��AV’s Ulf Wentzien. “At the same time, we have the opportunity to inspire and support young people at universities.”

About ��AV:
With 2016 sales of EUR 11.9 billion, ��AV is among the world’s largest polymer companies. Business activities are focused on the manufacture of high-tech polymer materials and the development of innovative solutions for products used in many areas of daily life. The main segments served are the automotive, construction, wood processing and furniture, and electrical and electronics industries. Other sectors include sports and leisure, cosmetics, health and the chemical industry itself. ��AV has 30 production sites worldwide and employs approximately 15,600 people (calculated as full-time equivalents) at the end of 2016.

PPG: WE PROTECT AND BEAUTIFY THE WORLD™
At PPG (NYSE:PPG), we work every day to develop and deliver the paints, coatings and materials that our customers have trusted for more than 130 years. Through dedication and creativity, we solve our customers’ biggest challenges, collaborating closely to find the right path forward. With headquarters in Pittsburgh, we operate and innovate in more than 70 countries and reported net sales of $14.3 billion in 2016. We serve customers in construction, consumer products, industrial and transportation markets and aftermarkets. To learn more, visit .

We protect and beautify the world is a trademark and the PPG Logo is a registered trademark of PPG Industries Ohio, Inc.

More information is available at www.covestro.com, and .

Forward-looking statements
This news release may contain forward-looking statements based on current assumptions and forecasts made by ��AV. Various known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors could lead to material differences between the actual future results, financial situation, development or performance of the company and the estimates given here. These factors include those discussed in ��AV’s public reports which are available at www.covestro.com. The company assumes no liability whatsoever to update these forward-looking statements or to conform them to future events or developments.