Materials for Automotive Lightweighting

TLDR

Reducing vehicle weight improves fuel economy, and the shift from low‑carbon steel and cast iron to advanced high‑strength steels, aluminum, magnesium, and polymer composites introduces challenges in joining and preventing galvanic corrosion. The key challenge is to reduce the cost of manufacturing structures with these new materials. Maximizing the weight reduction requires optimized designs utilizing multimaterials in various forms.

Abstract

Reducing the weight of automobiles is a major contributor to increased fuel economy. The baseline materials for vehicle construction, low-carbon steel and cast iron, are being replaced by materials with higher specific strength and stiffness: advanced high-strength steels, aluminum, magnesium, and polymer composites. The key challenge is to reduce the cost of manufacturing structures with these new materials. Maximizing the weight reduction requires optimized designs utilizing multimaterials in various forms. This use of mixed materials presents additional challenges in joining and preventing galvanic corrosion.