Method for joining an element of metal material to an element of plastic material, and a hybrid component obtained by this method

A method for joining an element of metal material to an element of plastic material, the method comprising:

• providing one or more slots in a portion of said element of plastic material,
• for each slot of the one or more slots, providing a corresponding tab in the element of metal material, said tab having a cross-section with shorter width and a shorter length than a width and a length of each slot,
• arranging the element of metal material and the element of plastic material in a position of mutual coupling wherein each tab of the element of metal material is inserted through a corresponding slot in the element of plastic material and has an end portion protruding beyond said portion of the element of plastic material,
• performing laser welding by directing a laser beam above the end portion of each tab protruding beyond said portion of the element of plastic material, so as to locally melt the metal material of each tab and create an enlarged head on each tab, which is welded above said element of plastic material, so as to rigidly connect the element of metal material and the element of plastic material to each other.