As usual under the quaint agreements that still apply, the car was out long before the supplier news. Nonetheless, it’s worth noting Magna Exteriors’ announcement of production of the North American automotive industry’s first all-thermoplastic, fully recyclable liftgate module for the 2014 Nissan Rogue crossover utility vehicle built in Smyrna, Tennesee and, eventually, Korea as well.
Magan said the Rogue liftgate is unique in that all materials are fully olefinic and therefore fully recyclable at the end of the vehicle’s life, and it features the first painted outer panel made from thermoplastic olefin.
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The full liftgate assembly is 30% lighter than comparable stamped steel systems, which helps contribute to the vehicle’s overall fuel economy increase. The liftgate was recognised in November 2013 by the Society of Plastics Engineers as the year’s most innovative use of plastics in the auto industry.
Magna developed the liftgate in collaboration with Nissan, Hitachi Chemical, and materials suppliers LyondellBasell and Advanced Composites.
The liftgate assembly is made by Magna Exteriors’ Decostar division in Carrollton, Georgia, and is delivered to Nissan as a module for single-point installation at Smyrna.
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