Auto OEMs embrace lightweight to attain emission goals

This list includes both luxury vehicle OEMs like BMW AG and Audi AG who pioneered lightweighting, which is now a popular trend among mass market vehicle OEMs like Ford Motor, Hyundai Motor, and Volkswagen AG (VW). The principal reason revolves around meeting strict Carbon dioxide emission levels in Europe and fuel efficiency levels in North America, in addition to improved safety, reduced cost and diluted parts complexity amongst others.

Global OEMs Identify Solutions to Reduce up to 350 Kg in Weight

Chart 1.1 presents some of the OEM groups and their targeted weight reduction plans. By 2012, OEMs like Ford Motor had already decided up to 350 kg (approximately 20%) vehicle weight reduction - with material substitution as key to achieving lightweighting. Innovation is the key here for Ford Motor and it comes on the back of its group vision of sustainable materials strategy. Ford Motors' plans include to replace steel with carbon fiber reinforced plastics (CFRP) in areas like bonnet (to reduce weight up to 50%), steel with Aliminium in F-series vehicle beds (to reduce up to 50%), and so on.

Chart 1.1 Auto Lightweighting: Up to 350 Kg Weight Reduction Identified by OEMs, Global, 2013-2020

Source: Frost & Sullivan analysis

The challenge before mass implementation of such solutions is in identifying whether the substitution materials are cost competitive, do they compromise on the safety, ride and handling, noise and vibration as well as the performance characteristics of a vehicle. In addition to high cost of some of the raw materials like CFRP, their manufacturing feasibility and current production rate are potential game changers in mass adoption of lightweight substitution materials over raw materials like conventional steel.

Strict CO₂ Emissions in Europe and Fuel Efficiency Targets in United States Key to Weight Reduction

The European market with its strict legislations on improving the fuel economy and the North American market with its tighter norms to meet corporate average fuel economy (CAFé) standard are expected to have big implications on the automotive industry in terms of materials and joining technologies of the future. It is clear that weight reduction is the recent trend in the automotive industry, which is keeping participants of the value chain highly focused on technology and innovation. The emerging solutions in the market today are a clear indication of the change. Chart 1.2 indicates the important vehicles/segments that are key for meeting future CAFé norms in North America.

Chart 1.2 Auto Lightweighting: Weight Classification by Vehicle Segment, North America, 2012

Body in white (BIW) is Key among Different Vehicle Systems

Deep-dive analysis indicates that BIW followed by powertrain is the key to lightweighting solutions. Table 1.3 indicates why BIW is the key and how it aids OEMs to achieve atleast 15 percent in weight reduction (around 225 kg) of a 1,500 kg vehicle.

Table 1.3 Auto Lightweighting: Vehicle Weight Classification by Vehicle Segment, North America, 2012

Key Materials and Joining Technologies - Solutions at the Micro Level

At the vehicle level, material substitution trends indicate decline in the use of conventional Lebron XIV 14 Glow