The US Department of Energy (DOE) Vehicle Technologies Office (VTO) has selected four industry-led research and development projects for funding to address key technical challenges associated with the application of lightweight materials to improve the energy efficiency of electric vehicles (EVs). The projects will help decarbonize the transportation sector and... Read more →
The Lightweight Materials Consortium (LightMAT), funded by the Department of Energy (DOE) Vehicle Technologies Office, announced its annual funding opportunity for 2023 for the automotive industry to leverage technical assistance from DOE national laboratories. LightMAT seeks proposals to identify key technical challenges limiting the use of lightweight materials that can... Read more →
A new survey of automakers and Tier 1 suppliers conducted by Ducker Carlisle concludes that as electric vehicles continue to enter the mass market, aluminum demand will grow through the end of the decade. The report—“2023 North American Light Vehicle Aluminum Content and Outlook”—released by the Aluminum Association indicates that... Read more →
The results of the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of greenhouse gas emissions and primary energy demand of the cars tested by Green NCAP in 2022 show that the current and continuous trend towards larger and heavier cars, significantly increases the negative impact on climate and energy demand. This drives not... Read more →
Lamborghini’s HPEV (High Performance Electrified Vehicle) hybrid super sports car, codenamed LB744, (earlier post) is based on a new aeronautics-inspired chassis, the monofuselage. As well as a monocoque made entirely of multi-technology carbon fiber, it features a front structure in Forged Composites; a special material made of short carbon fibers... Read more →
The BMW Group intends to source aluminum with significantly reduced CO2 emissions from Rio Tinto’s hydro-powered operations in Canada starting in 2024 and has signed a memorandum of understanding to this effect. Compared to conventionally manufactured aluminum, this approach can save around 70% of CO2 emissions. The planned supply volumes... Read more →
Nebrija University (Spain) students undertook the redesign and technological improvement of a car of the Sodicars team that took part in the 2023 Dakar Rally in the top-class category (T1).The 3D printing technology used by ArcelorMittal at its R&D&I Center, combined with the smart design algorithms of Nebrija University, have... Read more →
Oak Ridge National Laboratory researchers have identified a mechanism in a 3D-printed alloy—termed “load shuffling”—that could enable the design of better-performing lightweight materials for vehicles. A paper on their work is published in the journal Acta Materialia. One way to improve energy efficiency in vehicles is to make them lighter... Read more →
Constellium SE is supplying aluminum auto body sheet for the all-new Maserati Grecale SUV. Constellium is the primary supplier of auto body sheet solutions for the closures of the Maserati Grecale, including the hood, liftgate, and doors. For the outer surface of the hood and liftgate, Constellium provides Surfalex, its... Read more →
DSM Engineering Materials has partnered with Renault to create an industry-first lightweight solution for hybrid vehicle fuel tanks. By using Akulon Fuel Lock, DSM’s high-performance low-carbon-footprint PA6 (polyamide 6) material, the fuel tanks can be produced with a blow molding monolayer construction that significantly reduces weight and cost without compromising... Read more →
The US Department of Energy (DOE) Vehicle Technologies Office (VTO) has selected five industry-led research and development projects to address key technical challenges associated with the application of lightweight materials to improve the energy efficiency of electric vehicles. These projects will help decarbonize the transportation sector and enhance the infrastructure... Read more →
Citroën unveiled a new all-electric concept car called oli, an exercise in weight reduction and resource usage. With speed limited to 110 km/h (68 mph) and acceleration close to the classic 2CV model, the concept car gains a wider range and significantly improved battery lifespan. The target vehicle weight of... Read more →
Researchers from Shanghai Institute of Optics and Fine Mechanics (SIOM) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) have developed a new hybrid resistance spot-laser welding process to join aluminum to steel. The process, described in an open-access paper in the journal Materials & Design, first conducts resistance spot welding of... Read more →
LightMAT has announced its annual funding opportunity for 2022 for the automotive industry to leverage technical assistance from US Department of Energy (DOE) national laboratories. LightMAT is seeking proposals that identify key technical challenges limiting the use of lightweight materials that can further improve the energy efficiency of conventional and... Read more →
Nouryon has introduced HP92 microspheres, a new innovation in thermoplastic microsphere fillers in high-pressure manufacturing processes for the automotive industry. Lightweight materials are in high demand from automotive manufacturers to meet increasingly strict emission regulations and strong consumer interest in fuel-efficient vehicles that do not compromise on performance or passenger... Read more →
A study commissioned by the Aluminum Association and conducted by FEV North America, concludes that aluminum offers significant cost savings to automakers as net-zero priorities drive vehicle development, particularly in high volume programs. The study includes an analysis of three vehicle segments—city vehicle, family crossover and pickup truck—and finds aluminum... Read more →
The American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) awarded the “Automotive Excellence Award” to Ford Motor Company for its advanced high-strength steel (AHSS) innovations in the all-electric 2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E. The award was presented by John Catterall, vice president of AISI’s automotive program, at the 20th annual Great Designs in... Read more →
Hankuk Carbon Co Ltd, a manufacturer of advanced composite materials, has formed a strategic joint-partnership with Dymag, a manufacturer of carbon composite wheels, to enable the mass production of high-performance carbon composite wheels for the world’s leading automotive OEMs. The collaboration, announced at JEC World in Paris, will apply Hankuk... Read more →
Rheinmetall has developed a new glass fiber suspension spring. In cooperation with a premium OEM, the Düsseldorf-based technology group has now presented this product in a prototype testbed vehicle. Featuring a patented design, the new spring won over the automaker due primarily to its significant weight advantage in the unsprung... Read more →
Bcomp, a leading manufacturer of high-performance components made from natural fibers, has closed its oversubscribed Series B financing round of CHF 32.4 million (US$35 million) with commitment from a range of mobility, financial, and impact investment companies. The strategic group of investors consists of automotive venture capital from BMW i... Read more →
Polestar, the Swedish premium electric performance car maker, has confirmed that the forthcoming Polestar 5 electric performance 4-door GT will feature a brand-new, bespoke, bonded aluminum platform developed in-house by Polestar’s UK R&D team. Bespoke bonded aluminum platform being developed in-house by Polestar’s UK R&D team. Bonded aluminum is light-weight... Read more →
Japan-based Teijin Automotive Technologies, the core company of the Teijin Group's automotive composites business, has begun commercial operation of a new composites manufacturing facility in the Wujin National Hi-Tech Industrial Zone based in Changzhou, Jiangsu province, China. The company also announced that it is constructing a third plant in China,... Read more →
Researchers at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) have shown that making carbon fiber composites with bio-based epoxies and an anhydride hardener makes the material fully recyclable by introducing linkages that are more easily degraded. The recycling process—called methanolysis—can be selectively triggered at room temperature without degrading the quality or... Read more →
The VETERIA21 Project, funded by the Valencian Regional Government and implemented by AIMPLAS, will develop new, more efficient transformation processes for thermoplastic composites so they can be used to replace the metal content of electric vehicle batteries. These materials ensure a major reduction in vehicle weight, which extends battery life.... Read more →
United States Steel Corporation, Norfolk Southern Corporation and The Greenbrier Companies, Inc. jointly announced a new, more sustainable steel gondola railcar. Using an innovative formula for high-strength, lighter-weight steel developed by US Steel, each gondola’s unloaded weight is reduced by up to 15,000 pounds. Gondola railcars transport loose bulk material... Read more →
In a paper published in the Journal of Manufacturing Processes, researchers at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) report that their novel Shear Assisted Processing and Extrusion (ShAPE) technology (earlier post) can extrude aluminum alloy 7075 tubing at speeds up to 12.2 m/min without surface tearing. This is first experimental evidence... Read more →
Grupo Segura, a leader in the design, development, and manufacture of metallic components for automotive applications, recently completed an R&D project which will help it meet demand from OEMs for cold stamped solutions. Together with ArcelorMittal, Grupo Segura studied how the latest ultra high strength steels (UHSS) for cold forming... Read more →
Alumobility, a non-profit organization focused on technical studies to advance the adoption of aluminum automotive body sheet, revealed the results of its newest study demonstrating that an aluminum automotive top hat—the upper structure of a vehicle’s Body-in-White—can save significant weight compared to steel while meeting or exceeding automakers’ performance criteria.... Read more →
Researchers in the EU RECOTRANS (Integrated manufacturing of REcyclable multi-material COmposites for the TRANSport sector) have used microwaves and laser welding to obtain recyclable composites for automotive and transport. The project, led by AIMPLAS, is intended to help produce lighter and, therefore, less polluting vehicles without increasing costs. RECOTRANS researchers... Read more →
SABIC has introduced NORYL GTX 9500 resin, a new addition to a range of unfilled NORYL GTX resin grades, which delivers excellent dimensional stability under hot and humid conditions, addressing the challenge for highly demanding automotive applications. SABIC’s NORYL GTX 9500 resin retains a better balance of mechanical properties when... Read more →
Solvay announced the installation completion of its new thermoplastic composites (TPC) manufacturing facility at its Greenville, South Carolina site. At full production capacity, the new line will add more than 30 positions at the 27,000-square-foot facility. The project represents a major milestone in Solvay’s efforts to industrialize its TPC capacity.... Read more →
ArcelorMittal has been selected as the winner of the Altair Enlighten Award in the Lightweighting Enabling Technology category for its GI Fortiform 980, a third-generation advanced high strength steel (AHSS) that provides carmakers up to 20% weight savings in key energy absorption parts in a vehicle such as front and... Read more →
BASF, L&L Products and Stellantis have been recognized for lightweighting success on the composite tunnel for the 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee L. The vehicle, which launched in May, just won the Altair Enlighten Award for achievements in vehicle weight savings.The composite tunnel delivers a 40% weight reduction compared to previous... Read more →
Writing in Light Metal Age, Andrew Halonen of Mayflower Consulting provides an overview of weight optimization considerations for electric vehicles through a combination of design and material selection. Halonen is president of Mayflower, a lightweighting consultancy that provides strategic marketing, market research, and business development for high tech clients. Halonen... Read more →
Alumobility, a non-profit organization focused on solutions to advance the adoption of aluminum automotive body sheet, announced the results of its technical study demonstrating affordable lightweighting through the proposed conversion of a mass-produced C-segment SUV passenger door from steel to aluminum. The results of the study show the new aluminum... Read more →
Scientists at the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory and the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, have found a way to increase simultaneously the strength and ductility of an alloy by introducing tiny precipitates into its matrix and tuning their size and spacing. The precipitates are solids that separate from... Read more →
Constellium SE has expanded its longstanding partnership with Audi to supply advanced aluminum solutions for the Audi e-tron GT. Electric vehicles require strong, yet lightweight solutions to optimize range and prioritize safety. Constellium provides ASI-certified aluminum Auto Body Sheet solutions for closures and inner parts, as well as extrusion-based components... Read more →
The all-new Qashqai will be Nissan’s first model built in Europe using a significant number of lightweight aluminum panels. The hood, doors and front fenders are stamped from aluminum alloy, which makes the body of the Qashqai 60 kg lighter. This improves efficiency and thereby contributes to reduced emissions. In... Read more →
The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) is awarding Alcoa of Australia $8.8 million (A$11.3 million) toward testing the potential use of renewable energy in a Mechanical Vapor Recompression (MVR) process for alumina refining. Total project cost is US$21.9 million (A$28.2 million). The development project has the potential to reduce carbon... Read more →
ELYSIS has selected the Alma smelter, operated by Rio Tinto in Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean, Québec, for the first installation and demonstration of its inert anode technology at a commercial size of 450 kiloamperes (kA)—a common capacity for modern, full-scale smelters. ELYSIS is a joint venture company, led by Rio Tinto and Alcoa,... Read more →
As part of a pilot project, Audi is procuring 20-inch wheels for the Audi e-tron GT electric car that are made from low-CO2 emission aluminum supplied by Alcoa to RONAL GROUP, the wheel’s manufacturer. Alcoa is supplying aluminum for Audi’s pilot project from a self-developed, innovative smelting process that emits... Read more →
In a project co-funded by Ford Motor Company and the ExOne Company, a team of engineers, material scientists, and manufacturing experts has developed a patent-pending process for rapid and reliable binder jet 3D printing and sintering of aluminum 6061 that delivers properties comparable to die casting. Aluminum 6061 is one... Read more →
Novelis Inc., the world leader in aluminum rolling and recycling, unveiled its strongest automotive aluminum product to date: Novelis Advanz 7UHS-s701. The technologically advanced, ultra-high-strength material is now available commercially to the global automotive industry. The 7xxx alloy provides the highest T6 strength among current aluminum alloys and has significantly... Read more →
Aluminum maker Constellium SE is in the advanced planning stages of an investment to increase its recycling capacity in Europe. This project will be focused on using recycled material to provide slabs for Constellium’s automotive and packaging businesses in Europe. This strategic initiative is expected to add a minimum of... Read more →
The BMW Group will begin sourcing aluminum produced using solar electricity with immediate effect. This marks an important milestone on the road to the company’s goal of lowering CO2 emissions in its supplier network by 20% by 2030. Producing aluminum is extremely energy-intensive. Generating the electricity needed to produce primary... Read more →
Teijin Limited and its joint development partner Applied Electric Vehicles (Applied EV) have achieved a major milestone toward their shared vision for zero-emission future mobility. By utilizing Teijin’s lightweight, highly efficient material technology and expertise in composites manufacturing, Teijin and Applied EV have delivered a production-ready one-piece structural shell for... Read more →
Constellium, in partnership with Novelis, launched Alumobility, a non-profit organization focused on providing innovative implementation-ready solutions to advance the adoption of aluminum automotive body sheet. This global ecosystem of the leading aluminum and technology partners expects to drive value for automakers and consumers by helping to fulfill the promise of... Read more →
Constellium SE is leading a new R&D initiative in France, Project ISA3 (Intégration de Solutions Aluminium pour Alléger les Automobiles (Integration of Aluminium Solutions to Lightweight Automotive vehicles)). In partnership with Groupe Renault, ESI Group, Institut de Soudure (Welding Institute), and the University of Lorraine, this ~€7 million project will... Read more →
Continental Structural Plastics (CSP), along with its parent company Teijin, unveiled an innovative honeycomb Class A panel technology and an advanced, multi-material EV battery enclosure that can be molded in any number of CSP’s proprietary composite formulations. A multi-material battery enclosure featuring CSP proprietary materials is one of the technologies... Read more →
A new report from Lux Research, Electric Vehicle Lightweighting 2030, analyzes the future of vehicle lightweighting and necessary BEV success factors over the next decade. Lightweighting has been a key tool for improving the fuel economy of internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles over the past years. However, the transition from... Read more →