Within the context of the U.S. government’s recent announcement on fuel economy standards for 2017 to 2025 model year vehicles, automakers are looking to next generation hybrids, plug-in electrics and even fuel cells. When looking at these next generation vehicles, weight reduction technology cannot be overlooked. Complementing vehicle advances, lightweighting produces vehicles that are more efficient, achieve better fuel economy and produce fewer emissions. Proven in strength and safety, aluminum offers automakers the key to vehicle weight reduction. Research findings pertaining to the impact of weight reduction through lightweight materials on plug-in electric and hybrid vehicle performance, show that opting for aluminum bodies over steel can save on battery needs and the associated higher costs, since lighter vehicles require less battery power (batteries being a significant cost barrier). Greater use of aluminum can help speed the transition to greener and cleaner vehicles.

Areas of focus

• Electric vehicles (EV) or plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV) as a unique class of vehicle(s) in that they contain a relatively small amount of stored energy, and as such are great candidates for lightweighting;​
• The role of vehicle, battery and powertrain mass, as well as drive cycle on range and performance;​
• Potential cost-savings by upgrading from traditional steel to an advanced aluminum body structure due to lower energy requirements to move lighter vehicles.
• The function of vehicle mass and its influence on energy recovered during regenerative braking.

Key Findings

• A savings of up to $3,000 can be reached by reducing electric vehicle structure weight by 10 percent with aluminum.
• Using aluminum in select automotive components could reduce vehicle weight safely by as much as an additional 40 percent over today’s vehicles.
• An additional 525 pounds (including primary and secondary weight) safely could be taken out of a vehicle by 2020, which would result in saving 2.7 MPG, a nearly 10% fuel economy improvement.
• Reducing vehicle weight will be vital to improving fuel economy and cutting carbon emissions.

Not all cars will or should be made of aluminum (though some are, and more will be);​ however, it is clear that aluminum components will continue to provide vehicles that are safe for consumers and the environment