By Lynn Brown, Consulting Collaborative, and Rob Nelson, Almag Aluminum. In the first nine months of 2019, it’s estimated that nearly 175,000 battery electric vehicles (BEVs) were sold in the U.S.1 Not surprisingly, almost 80% had the Tesla logo on the back, with 80% of those being the fast-selling Model 3. What may be surprising […]
Novelis implemented a closed-loop recycling system with Volvo Cars in 2019. Through the closed-loop system, the companies work together to take back Volvo’s production scrap. This reduces the company’s dependence on primary aluminum input, reduces the CO2 footprint of the aluminum sheet delivered to Volvo Cars by 78%, and ensures that their production scrap remains in the value-chain and […]
The Association of Global Automakers and the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers — the two largest automotive trade associations — are merging to form a new association that will leverage the expansive history of both organizations while creating a single, unified industry voice, the Alliance for Automotive Innovation. The new association will represent automotive and parts manufacturers […]
Rio Tinto received the first order for its Revolution-Al™, a new high strength aluminum alloy developed to make lighter weight car wheels. The development of the new alloy was five years in the making, representing the company’s commitment to innovation. The project was carried out in cooperation with the company’s customers, who helped trial and test […]
A new study, “Aluminum Content in European Passenger Cars,” published by European Aluminium estimates that the average aluminum content of European produced cars will reach nearly 180 kg in 2019, a 20% increase since 2016. The study also forecasts the average aluminum content will further increase to almost 200 kg per vehicle by 2025. The […]
Vehicle manufacturers are exploring the use of aluminum, high-strength steel, magnesium, carbon-fiber composites, and other lightweight materials to reduce vehicle mass and improve fuel economy. This approach requires new adhesive chemistries that will mitigate corrosion and thermal expansion issues associated with joining dissimilar materials. PPG was selected for a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) partnership, […]
The new Land Rover Defender raises the bar for on-road dynamics. Its purpose-engineered architecture is based on a lightweight aluminum monocoque chassis to create the stiffest body structure the brand has ever produced. The Defender’s structure is three times stiffer than traditional body-on-frame designs and has been engineered to withstand extreme conditions. The in-body chassis […]
The Center for Automotive Research (CAR) published Technology Roadmap: Materials and Manufacturing, which forecasts materials and manufacturing trends based on the CAR team’s internal research and a thorough analysis of available industry reports. The study conclusions were achieved with critical input from a group of subject matter experts. The Technology Roadmap notes that a number of […]
