Aludrive May 2015 Newsletter

The AluDrive newsletter informs you about the latest developments and studies about aluminium in cars

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Dear Reader,

Welcome to the May 2015 edition of AluDrive, the automotive newsletter from the European Aluminium sponsored by Alcoa, Aleris, AMAG, Constellium, Hydro, Novelis and Rio Tinto Alcan.

For further information or comments:
www.european-aluminium.eu or auto@european-aluminium.eu

New study reveals: 20% lightweighting at additional cost of 4 â‚¬/kg

European Aluminium has, with the help of ika in Aachen, analyzed the cost of lightweighting cars with Aluminium. The purpose of the work was to develop a cost ranking taking into account that some lightweighting measures are cheaper than others. The result shows that a 20% lightweighting of the BIW can be achieved at an additional cost of less than 4 â‚¬/kg (assuming 30% secondary weight savings). We welcome constructive comments to the study as we would like to improve the data further in the future.

The executive summary of the study can be downloaded here!
For more information: ragnarsson@european-aluminium.eu

More Lightweight makes Heavy Impact

Global trends toward CO2 reduction and resource efficiency have significantly increased the importance of this issue over the last few years. Lightweight materials and design play an important role in the automotive industry, the trend for using aluminium is rising.
This article describes how Novelis can help, based on the examples of the latest Ford F-150 and Jaguar XE, to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

To read the complete article please click here

Aluminium is playing a significant role to make the new Audi Q7 more fuel efficient

The new Audi Q7 has slimmed down considerably, losing 325 kilograms in weight by strictly adhering to the principles of lightweight design. Aluminium is playing a significant role in making the new Audi Q7 even more fuel-efficient and more sustainable. This includes almost all mounted and hang-on parts as well as structural elements like the trunk lid, fender, side panel frames, doors and the inner part of the hood. Aleris, in collaboration with Audi, introduced a completely new material specification which offers additional safety and stability features to the vehicle structure. Entering series production for the first time, this so-called crash-alloy-quality material will now be used in the new Audi Q7.

For more information click here

Structural parts for the new lightweight Ford F-150 pickup truck

Constellium provides Ford Motor Co. with aluminium structural parts for the all-new Ford F-150 pickup truck that extensively uses high-strength, military-grade, aluminium alloy as a build material. The 2015 Ford F-150 delivers the industryâ€™s best towing and payload capability among full-size light-duty pickups, enabled by reducing up to 700 pounds of weight through the use of high-strength steel in the frame and aluminium alloy in the body. The facility in Van Buren, Michigan, has recently doubled the manufacturing capacity in order to keep pace with increased demand and also enhanced advanced prototyping and development capabilities.

Read more here!

European aluminium industry sets new objectives for the next decade

The European aluminium industry has launched a roadmap to pave the way for the sector to maximise its contribution to a more sustainable future in Europe. Promoting a new and ambitious set of voluntary commitments, the Roadmap will drive the industryâ€™s agenda to further enhance its commitment to environmental stewardship, promote innovative products for sustainable lifestyles and play an active role in economic growth and job creation.
The aluminium sector is already at the forefront of industry efforts to promote sustainability and has a proven track record of improvements, having closely monitored its performance across a range of indicators since the late 1990s. Moreover, aluminium is increasingly seen as the material of choice in key markets, from light and fuel-efficient cars, to energy efficient buildings and resource-efficient packaging.