BASF, Stellantis and L&L Products have received an SPE Automotive Innovation Award for the new composite tunnel reinforcement developed for the 2027 Jeep Grand Cherokee.
The award recognises a solution combining L&L Products’ Continuous Composite System with a BASF polyamide containing 60% post-industrial recycled material, targeting improvements in performance, weight and environmental impact.
Compared with the previous composite solution, the new component is 13% lighter. According to the partners, it also delivers a 40% reduction in carbon footprint and a 20% improvement in peak load performance, increasing its ability to withstand maximum structural loads.
The reinforcement is used in a structurally important area of the vehicle body, where stiffness, strength and mass reduction must be balanced with manufacturability and integration into automotive production processes.
The solution highlights how recycled thermoplastics and composite architectures can contribute to more efficient structural components while maintaining high mechanical performance and reducing environmental impact.
The SPE Automotive Innovation Award recognises this combination of material innovation, structural design and industrialisation, highlighting a technology already intended for a series-production application.
The project therefore provides a practical example of how recycled materials, composites and lightweight design can converge in the development of new automotive platforms.
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11 November 2026
