Hydro and Northvolt, a leading European battery manufacturer based in Sweden, formed a 50/50 joint venture, called Hydro Volt AS, which will focus on enabling the recycling of battery materials and aluminum from electric vehicles (EVs). A typical EV battery pack may contain more than 25% aluminum, totaling about 70-100 kg aluminum per pack. “We […]
Tesla, Inc. submitted a patent application, titled “System and Method for Facilitating Pulsed Spray Quench of Extruded Objects.” The patent application describes a quenching process that aims to increase the strength, rigidity, and energy absorption of 6000 series extruded aluminum components. During the extrusion process, the microstructure of the aluminum can have a significant impact on […]
EDAG Group in Germany, together with eight project partners, has developed an aluminum alloy for the 3D printing of automotive components. The alloy was designed to provide higher strength and elongation at the breaking point — which is especially important in the event of a crash. Additive production has huge potential for revolutionizing the production of automotive […]
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 […]
Gränges AB signed an agreement to acquire all outstanding shares of the company Impexmetal S.A., which includes Polish flat rolled aluminum producer Aluminium Konin and certain other assets, from the Boryszew Group. The SEK 2.3 billion (US$245 million) acquisition will strengthen Gränges’ product offering and presence in Europe and provide a strong position in new attractive niche markets. […]
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 […]
