Renault Samsung Motors Obtains Patent for LPG Vehicle 'Donut Tank'

[Asia Economy Reporter Kiho Sung] Renault Samsung Motors announced on the 28th that it has received a patent right decision from the Korean Intellectual Property Office and completed the registration process for a core patent related to the donut tank LPG vehicle, which improves the drawbacks of existing LPG vehicles.

The newly acquired patent is a technology for the donut tank fixing system, which stably attaches a high-load circular tank to both side beams, the frame of the vehicle body, with brackets, ensuring high stability in rear collisions. Through this technology, Renault Samsung Motors solved the existing LPG vehicle’s drawback of limited trunk space.

The donut tank system fixes a small circular LPG tank directly on the floor at the spare tire location. Applying this method to the current donut tank with a high load of 80 liters could cause the tank to detach during a rear collision, potentially leading to gas leakage or threatening the safety of rear seat passengers. Additionally, severe noise and vibration made it unsuitable for general customers.

To improve this, Renault Samsung Motors incorporated the characteristics of the side beams, which mitigate impact and protect the vehicle body during rear collisions, into the donut tank. According to the patented technology, the donut tank is prevented from detaching or intruding into the rear seat space during rear collisions, greatly enhancing safety. Furthermore, through technical cooperation with POSCO, the thickness was reinforced and high-strength steel was applied to the donut tank to doubly ensure stability.

Renault Samsung Motors currently applies the donut tank technology to the QM6 LPe, which is on sale, and the premium mid-size sedan SM6 LPe.

Lee Piljae, Chairman of the Korea LPG Association, said, “Renault Samsung Motors’ donut tank technology not only improves the convenience for LPG vehicle drivers but also enhances safety,” adding, “We expect this advanced technology to lead the expansion of the domestic LPG vehicle market.”

Kwon Sangsoon, Head of Research at Renault Samsung Motors, said, “We are very pleased that the core patent has been finally registered along with the success of the LPG vehicle applying the donut tank technology, recognizing the uniqueness and excellence of our company’s technology,” and added, “We will continue to do our best in developing new technologies to maintain our reputation as the leading brand of LPG SUVs and LPG sedans.”