Teijin Automotive Technologies Supplying Key Exterior Components on New Lotus Emira

If you’ve seen the all-new Lotus Emira, you’ll likely notice its dramatic
exterior styling. The sleek exterior of this mid-engine premium sports car
is made possible, in part, by the advanced composite exterior panels
provided by Teijin Automotive Technologies. Specifically, Teijin Automotive
Technologies is providing the right- and left-hand doors; right- and
left-side rear quarter panels, and the inner, outer and lower shells of the
tailgate.

“To have the opportunity to be a part of this iconic vehicle brand, bringing
an all-new, dynamic sports car to the market has been exciting for us”

The doors, rear quarter and tailgate outer panels are manufactured using the
company’s proprietary TCA Ultra Lite® material. This low-density, Class A
surface material is up to 43 percent lighter than a traditional composite
material, and approximately the same weight as aluminum. However, because it
is a compression-molded composite, it can achieve dramatic styling cues not
possible with a stamped metal and is dent and corrosion resistant. This
award-winning material is being produced on the company’s state-of-the-art
sheet molded compound (SMC) compounding line in Pouancé, France.

Specific design cues include a sculpted section in the door that leads
airflow toward the intake, which is molded into the rear quarter panel. This
design serves a dual purpose, providing air intake and cooling for the
engine bay.

“The body panels of the Lotus Emira had to satisfy a number of requirements
including aerodynamic design and styling, but also have to be lightweight,
strong and provide a high-quality Class A finish,” said Paul Tedstone,
Executive Director of Supply for Lotus Cars. “By using lightweight
composites for the body panels, including the doors, we were able to combine
all the engineering and styling requirements in the stunning design of this
award-winning sports car.”

The inner panels for the tailgate are made from a structural grade,
low-density SMC, featuring a glass fiber content optimized for strength. All
outer panels are provided to Lotus with a conductive primer, and the
interior tailgate panel is provided with a black texturized coating. All
components are being manufactured at the Teijin Automotive Technologies
facility in Leça do Balio, Portugal.

“To have the opportunity to be a part of this iconic vehicle brand, bringing
an all-new, dynamic sports car to the market has been exciting for us,” said
Chris Twining, CEO, Teijin Automotive Technologies. “Our Class A ultra-light
composite materials enhance both the appearance and performance of this
exotic-looking, premium vehicle.”

Teijin Automotive Technologies’ Ultra Lite technology uses proprietary,
treated glass bubbles to replace some of the CaCO3, allowing the resin to
adhere to the matrix and increase the interfacial strength between the
bubble and the resin. This treatment technology results in a more robust
resin mix making molded parts more resistant to handling damage, preventing
micro-cracks that cause paint pops, pits and blistering, and improving paint
adhesion and bonding characteristics.

TCA Ultra Lite offers automakers an opportunity to achieve a Class A finish
with a material that is resistant to corrosion, dents and dings, ultimately
providing the consumer with a vehicle that doesn’t rust and won’t be subject
to the scratches and dings that mar the surface of any vehicle panel made of
metal.

About Teijin Automotive Technologies

Teijin Automotive Technologies specializes in the development and production
of advanced composite components – including carbon and glass fiber – for
the global automotive and transportation industries and is an integral part
of the Teijin Group of companies. The company is a worldwide leader in
composite formulations with a focus on providing automakers with
lightweight, durable products that enable design and packaging flexibility.
Headquartered in Auburn Hills, Mich., USA, Teijin Automotive Technologies
has 29 operations in 8 countries and employs more than 5,000 people. For
more information, visit Teijinautomotive.com.

About the Teijin Group

Teijin (TSE: 3401) is a technology-driven global group offering advanced
solutions in the fields of environmental value; safety, security and
disaster mitigation; and demographic change and increased health
consciousness. Originally established as Japan’s first rayon manufacturer in
1918, Teijin has evolved into a unique enterprise encompassing three core
business domains: high-performance materials including aramid, carbon fibers
and composites, and also resin and plastic processing, films, polyester
fibers and products converting; healthcare including pharmaceuticals and
home healthcare equipment for bone/joint, respiratory and
cardiovascular/metabolic diseases, nursing care and pre-symptomatic
healthcare; and IT including B2B solutions for medical, corporate and public
systems as well as packaged software and B2C online services for digital
entertainment. Deeply committed to its stakeholders, as expressed in the
brand statement “Human Chemistry, Human Solutions,” Teijin aims to be a
company that supports the society of the future. The group comprises some
170 companies and employs some 20,000 people across 20 countries worldwide.
Teijin posted consolidated sales of JPY 926.1 billion (USD 7.2 billion) and
total assets of JPY 1,207.6 billion (USD 9.4 billion) in the fiscal year
that ended on March 31, 2022.