Röchling Lightweight Solutions Showcase CV Technology at IAA

Röchling Showcases Thermoplastic Lightweight Solutions for Commercial Vehicles

Röchling Lightweight Solutions are being showcased by the Automotive division of Röchling SE & Co. KG at IAA Transportation 2026, with a focus on thermoplastic applications for commercial vehicles. The company is presenting materials that can be remelted after their service life and processed into new components, supporting material reuse within vehicle applications. Selected solutions also incorporate recycled feedstock, including plastics recovered from marine waste. Alongside these material developments, the company is highlighting lightweight vehicle structures and components intended to reduce weight and material use while maintaining the performance requirements of commercial vehicle applications.

Thermoplastic Materials and Recycled Feedstock

The thermoplastic materials on display are designed to provide a route toward greater material reuse after components reach the end of their service life. Unlike thermoset materials that cannot simply be remelted, these thermoplastics can be processed again into new components. Röchling is also using recycled feedstock in selected applications, including plastics recovered from marine waste. This approach combines lightweight material development with the use of secondary feedstocks, giving the company's commercial vehicle solutions a stronger focus on material efficiency and end-of-life processing without changing the functional requirements expected from vehicle components.

Lightweight Underbody Protection for Electric Vehicles

Röchling is developing a cost-optimized underbody protection system for electric vehicles that combines several performance requirements within a lightweight design. The system is intended to provide impact resistance while also delivering strong fire performance and thermal insulation. By integrating these characteristics into an underbody protection solution, the development addresses the need for components that can support electric vehicle protection without adding unnecessary mass. The solution forms part of the broader technology portfolio being presented at IAA Transportation 2026, where lightweight materials and structural efficiency are central themes in Röchling's commercial vehicle offering.

Plastic-Metal Hybrid Structures Reduce Weight and CO2

Plastic-metal hybrid structures are another key area of Röchling's presentation, including cross car beams that combine plastic structures with metal reinforcement. According to the shared article, this construction approach can reduce weight by up to 40% compared with conventional metal components. It can also reduce material-related CO2 emissions by up to 66%. The hybrid concept therefore addresses both mass reduction and material-related emissions while retaining the reinforcement provided by metal. Its application to cross car beams demonstrates how combining different materials can create structural components with lower weight and reduced material use.

Battery Housings and Structural Battery Components

Additional solutions include battery housings and structural battery components that combine plastic structures with metal reinforcements. These designs are intended to reduce both weight and material use while providing the structural characteristics required for battery-related vehicle applications. The approach extends Röchling's use of hybrid construction beyond cross car beams and into components associated with electric vehicle systems. Together with the underbody protection system, these battery-focused solutions show how the company is applying thermoplastics and reinforced hybrid structures to different areas where lightweight construction, material efficiency, and functional performance are important considerations.

Industry Impact & Outlook

Röchling's presentation highlights how commercial vehicle component development is increasingly focused on reducing vehicle mass while addressing material efficiency, emissions, and the specific protection requirements of electrified vehicles. The combination of remeltable thermoplastics, recycled feedstock, plastic-metal hybrid structures, and reinforced battery components could broaden the practical use of lightweight materials across vehicle systems. For manufacturers and component suppliers, the reported weight and material-related CO2 reductions make hybrid structures particularly relevant where structural performance must be balanced against mass and material consumption. The solutions displayed at IAA Transportation 2026 also indicate that material selection and component architecture will remain important areas for further lightweighting development.

Frequently Asked Questions

What lightweight solutions is Röchling showcasing at IAA Transportation 2026?
Röchling is showcasing thermoplastic materials, plastic-metal hybrid structures, battery housings, structural battery components, and an electric vehicle underbody protection system. The thermoplastic materials can be remelted and processed into new components after service life, while selected applications use recycled feedstock such as plastics recovered from marine waste. Its hybrid structures include cross car beams that can reduce weight by up to 40% and material-related CO2 emissions by up to 66% compared with conventional metal components, according to the shared article.