Don't judge heroes by their materials—plastic oil pans aren't so bad after all.

On June 5, the Shenzhou-14 spacecraft blasted off into space, delivering a new crew of astronauts to China's space station. As the spacecraft soared through the skies, China's aerospace program once again reached a moment of global spotlight. Facing extreme conditions of high temperature and pressure during flight, spacecraft must prioritize both reliability and safety with unwavering dedication. You might be surprised to learn that rockets and spacecraft rely heavily on PEEK plastic—yes, plastic—perhaps enough to leave even casual observers utterly astonished. After all, "surprises" often arrive when you least expect them, much like the recent buzz in the automotive world surrounding plastic oil pans.

Under the intense criticism from some short-video bloggers, plastic oil pans have become universally reviled—everyone is calling for them to be stamped out. Their central argument? Metal is always superior to plastic, and equipping cars with plastic oil pans is nothing but a shameless cut in quality. Undoubtedly, the "luxury car downgrading" controversy has effectively stirred up strong emotions, tapping into the classic "sour grapes" mentality to grab massive amounts of online attention. Whether you’re passionate about cars or not, you can easily find something to discuss in this public uproar.

Plastic, sometimes referred to as resin, is a material made primarily from synthetic resins or petroleum-based polymers with high molecular weights, combined with appropriate additives. It can be processed into plastic materials that are moldable and flexible, or further cured and cross-linked to form rigid, inflexible structures. In our daily lives, we frequently encounter various types of plastics, such as PP polypropylene (used in food packaging), PS polystyrene (found in disposable cups), PE polyethylene (commonly used for packaging bags), PC polycarbonate (often seen in sunglasses), and ABS resin (widely utilized in electronic devices). To withstand challenging environmental conditions, spacecraft employ PEEK polyetheretherketone, which boasts exceptional temperature resistance up to 250°C. PEEK is one of the most expensive commercial polymers available on the market, with prices reaching as high as $500 per kilogram.

PA66-GF35 is a composite material. By adding 35% glass fiber to nylon 66, we obtain PA66-GF35, which boasts higher strength compared to conventional nylon materials. It can withstand static pressure over extended periods and exhibits exceptional thermal resistance. This material can endure short-term temperatures up to 170°C, while its continuous-use temperature reaches as high as 130°C. To melt PA66-GF35, the temperature must be raised to around 250°C.

"Performance ceiling" might sound a bit abstract—let’s use the chassis as an analogy. In common perception, a double-wishbone suspension is significantly superior to a MacPherson strut, often regarded by many as a hallmark of luxury vehicles. However, when it comes to actual performance, the double-wishbone doesn’t necessarily outshine the MacPherson. In fact, with expert tuning, the MacPherson can just as easily deliver outstanding handling and ride quality. Meanwhile, the MacPherson design is compact and efficient, making it ideal for optimizing interior space. After all, squeezing 70% performance out of 100-point hardware (resulting in 70 points) may still fall short compared to extracting 95% performance from 80-point hardware (yielding 76 points).

When selecting oil pan materials, automakers naturally take cost into account. While material costs are indeed important, in many cases, they aren’t even the primary factor considered by automakers. Faced with stringent emission regulations, car manufacturers are left scrambling to find ways to curb fuel consumption—and lightweighting happens to be the most direct approach to achieving that goal. Not only have mainstream models from Mercedes-Benz, BMW, and Audi adopted plastic oil pans, but even Porsche’s iconic 911 can no longer sidestep this trend. Once plastic oil pans meet performance targets, their advantages in terms of weight reduction and NVH (noise, vibration, and harshness) become particularly evident. As the "law of the barrel" teaches us, comprehensive development is ultimately the key to success in business.

Speaking of "downgrading," are there indeed cases where imported and domestically produced models are treated differently? Yes, but interestingly enough, the reality contrasts with what one might expect. Take Volkswagen's third-generation EA888 engine as an example: all domestically produced transverse-engine models feature cast-iron oil pans, whereas imported transverse-engine vehicles come equipped with plastic oil pans. Meanwhile, the higher-end longitudinal-engine models (built on the MLB or MLB evo platforms) exclusively use plastic oil pans—and even these vary, with two distinct designs employed depending on the specific engine type and emission version.
Editor's Take: After reading this article, we’ve picked up yet another bit of useless knowledge. Discussing the pros and cons of plastic oil pans isn’t about defending anyone—it’s simply about revealing the true nature of the issue. As observers, there’s no need for us to blindly follow public opinion or let influencers’ comments override our own critical thinking. Admittedly, automakers have a strong incentive to cut costs in order to make their financial reports look more attractive. However, it’s also important to recognize that cost and performance don’t always follow a straightforward, linear relationship; the real challenge lies in striking the right balance across all performance aspects. While switching from metal to plastic oil pans may slightly compromise thermal performance limits, this doesn’t prevent plastic components from meeting both development goals and consumer expectations.

Translated from Sina Auto

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