“We have a plan in place with goals for the near term, the medium term and long term strategies building up to 2020,” said Nand Kochhar, chief engineer for global materials engineering and standards for Ford Motor Co., during a panel discussion at the Society of Plastics Engineers 2009 Automotive TPO Conference Oct. 5-7 in Sterling Heights. “These involve a variety of weight reductions, new technologies and new materials.”

And while thermoplastic polyolefin molders and resin suppliers may be anxious to cash in on the weight reduction angle of the carmakers’ plans, there is no guarantee TPOs will turn up on more body panels.

TPO makers need to improve temperature stability in extreme hot and cold environments that will allow the industry to use it next to steel or aluminum parts without gaps between body panels, said Matt Carroll, engineering group manager for materials for body exterior, electrical and batteries at Detroit-based General Motors Corp.

When it comes to body panels, TPOs would likely be fifth on the list for material options, behind thermoset composites, lightweight steel, aluminum and magnesium, said Jeff Makarewicz, vice president materials engineering division at Toyota Motor Corp.’s Toyota Technical Center in Ann Arbor, Mich.

Instead, the next big growth for TPOs and polyolefins may be in spots where the consumers may not even see it —- beneath the car, Carroll said.

Underbody panels, which may cover just a part of the chassis or stretch the length of the vehicle, can improve fuel performance by reducing air drag, Carroll said. Aerodynamics also plays into designs that integrate mud flaps and air dams, mounted beneath the front bumper fascia. GM is looking at a variety of under-the-body parts to reduce drag and improve performance.

“We have to look at the entire vehicle here and use a number of approaches,” Makarewicz added.