Did You Know

Environment                                                                                                             Performance

Growth                                                                                                                        Safety

Environment

Aluminum-structured hybrids receive a 13.5 percent increase in fuel economy over a steel-bodied hybrid. Similarly, the aluminum-bodied diesel saw a 13.1 percent improvement in fuel economy when compared to the steel-bodied diesel vehicle.

When compared to existing gasoline-powered vehicles, there are impressive fuel economy gains of 46 percent in diesel-powered vehicles and 51 percent in hybrid-powered vehicles complemented by aluminum structures.

Consumers will be “paid back” faster at the fuel pump if automakers opt to reduce vehicle weight with next-generation hybrids and diesels through greater use of auto aluminum, compared to the payback time associated with the added costs of today’s heavier hybrids and diesels.

Since 1888, about 800 million tons of aluminum has been produced and about 580 million tons of this amount is still in use.

73 percent of all aluminum ever produced is still in use today.

Recycling the aluminum currently in use would equal 15 years’ primary output.

Automotive aluminum accounts for 5 to 10 percent of scrapped automobiles by weight, but represents 30 to 50 percent of its scrap value.

Nearly 90 percent of auto aluminum is recovered and recycled.

Today, aluminum is the most commonly recycled material in the world.

Automotive aluminum is infinitely recyclable and uses only 5 percent of the original energy required to put it back into a reusable form.

Recycling aluminum saves nearly 95 percent of the greenhouse gas emissions associated with primary aluminum production.

Use of automotive aluminum in 2006 model year vehicles alone has saved 14.5 billion gallons of gasoline or about 350 million barrels of crude oil. This figure is nearly equal to the amount of oil that the U.S. imports from Saudi Arabia each year.

Research revealed that aluminum-structured hybrids receive a 13.5 percent increase in fuel economy over a steel-bodied hybrid. Similarly, the aluminum-bodied diesel saw a 13.1 percent improvement in fuel economy when compared to the steel-bodied diesel vehicle.

Consumers could save fuel and money while reducing emissions through greater use of low weight automotive aluminum especially in hybrid- and diesel-powered vehicles.

Consumers can get a 5 to 7 percent vehicle gas mileage increase for every 10 percent weight reduction by substituting high-strength, low-weight auto aluminum for heavier steel.

A more fuel-efficient vehicle (through lightweighting with automotive aluminum), produces fewer greenhouse gas emissions.

Industry experts rank automotive aluminum use as a top option and “very significant” to meet the federal mandate to improve fuel economy by 40 percent by 2020.

The aluminum industry cut CO2 factory emissions by 86 percent from 1990 to 2006.

The use of auto aluminum for vehicle lightweighting can deliver a substantial reduction in CO2 and other emissions over the life of the vehicle through better gas mileage, even when considering the CO2 generated by the initial production of aluminum.

Each pound of automotive aluminum replacing two pounds of iron or steel in a car can save a net 20 pounds of CO2 emissions over the typical lifecycle of a vehicle.

Growth

The amount of aluminum content for light vehicles is 7.8 percent of the average worldwide light vehicle curb weight of 3,185 pounds in 2009.

More than 50 vehicles produced in North America contain over 10 percent aluminum content.

In North America, the aluminum percentage of average vehicle curb weight in 2009 vehicles is up from just 2 percent of curb weight in 1970 and 5.1 percent in 1990.

North America ranks as the world leader in aluminum penetration in cars, pickups, SUVs and minivans in 2009.

Auto aluminum content reached an all-time high at 8.6 percent of average vehicle curb weight in 2009, continuing almost 40 years of uninterrupted growth in North America.

Automotive aluminum usage in Chinese vehicles is predicted to surpass Japanese automakers by 2020.

Worldwide auto aluminum content is projected to grow to 28 to 30 billion pounds per year – up from the current 17 to 18 billion pounds – between now and 2020, not taking scrap and spare parts into account.

Aluminum content growth is predicted to continue at a rate of four-to-five pounds per vehicle, per year, and approach 300 pounds per vehicle worldwide in 2020.

The integration of aluminum in cars and light trucks is projected to be nearly 11 percent of curb weight by 2020.

Long-term worldwide growth of auto aluminum content is expected to continue in automotive applications.

Industry experts rank aluminum use as a top option and “very significant” to meet the federal mandate to improve fuel economy 40 percent by 2020.

Secondary (recycled) aluminum is expected to continue representing at least 50 percent of the total amount of automotive aluminum used through 2020.

A net increase of more than eight pounds of auto aluminum occurred between 2006 and 2009 model year vehicles despite a 10 percent loss in share for large, full-frame vehicles with high aluminum content.

Material experts and body engineers surveyed in the 2009 growth study expect 25 percent of fuel economy improvement to come from weight savings, while powertrain experts predict that 50 percent of the improvements will be the result of weight reduction.

Long-term auto aluminum growth rates remain in line with the significant growth rates of the late 1970s to early 1990s, despite the shift to smaller vehicles.

Nearly one half of all 2009 models have at least one pair of aluminum steering knuckles.

Aluminum anti-lock breaking system housings are on 85 percent of 2009 vehicles.

More than 22 percent of vehicles currently made in the U.S. have aluminum hoods, an all-time record.

Aluminum block penetration reached nearly 70 percent – the largest driver of aluminum growth since 2000.

Engine blocks and steering knuckles celebrate the largest increase in growth from 2006 to 2009.

General Motors, Honda, Toyota, BMW, Hyundai and Volkswagen all increased the amount of aluminum content of their North American vehicles from 2006 to 2009.

Honda and BMW are now the aluminum content leaders with both companies averaging more than 340 pounds of aluminum per vehicle.

An estimated total of 67 vehicles from the European (49) and Japanese (18) markets now contain more than 400 pounds of finished aluminum.

Since the 2006 model year, aluminum content has also experienced steady growth in light vehicle applications across the globe, especially Europe and Japan.

Performance

Auto aluminum improves vehicle performance creating lighter vehicles with higher structural stiffness that accelerate more quickly, provide better stability and response, and require shorter stopping distances than heavier vehicles.

Aluminum can replace iron and steel components in motor vehicles for a weight savings of 45 to 50 percent while increasing performance and fuel efficiency without compromising safety.

Automotive aluminum improves vehicle performance creating lighter vehicles with higher structural stiffness that allow the vehicle to accelerate more quickly while providing better stability and response than heavier vehicles.

Cars made lighter with aluminum can accelerate faster and brake quicker than their heavier counterparts.

The design flexibility of aluminum is unparalleled, allowing designers to engineer the optimum shape and performance for each specific application.

Reducing weight by using lightweight aluminum generally increases vehicle performance related to handling, acceleration and braking.

Vehicles made lighter with automotive aluminum combined with high structural stiffness accelerate more quickly, provide better stability and response and require shorter stopping distances than heavier vehicles.

Safety

It is estimated that in two vehicles of equal weight – one aluminum and one steel – the aluminum vehicle can be built up to 20 percent larger. This allows designers to maximize overall vehicle size – and therefore safety – without weight penalties.

The high strength-to-weight ratio of aluminum allows a vehicle to maintain, or even increase, the size and strength of its critical front- and back-end crumple zones without increasing overall weight or sacrificing occupant safety.

Auto aluminum can be designed to fold predictably during a crash, allowing the vehicle – not its passengers – to absorb its maximum energy to protect passengers from destructive crash forces.

Pound for pound, automotive aluminum absorbs two times the energy in a crash compared to steel.

Injuries in crashes involving SUVs and smaller vehicles can be reduced up to 42 percent by using automotive aluminum to extend the SUVs front/rear crush zone while reducing overall weight.

Auto aluminum is beneficial in that it can be used to reduce the vehicle mass and slightly lengthen the vehicle without incurring a significant weight increase.

If the vehicle crush zone is increased, even by a few inches, it can have a very significant and positive safety benefit to all in every crash situation.

A lighter SUV is much less damaging to another vehicle in a crash, particularly a traditional passenger car.

If weight is taken out of an SUV and size remains the same, there is less crash energy to absorb, while the vehicle structure remains in place to absorb the resulting energy.

Aluminum structures can be designed to fold during a crash in a predictable manner, letting the vehicle – not its passengers – absorb more of the crash energy.

Designed to fold predictably during a crash, auto aluminum allows the vehicle to absorb most of the crash forces.

Unlike steel, automotive aluminum can be used to maintain or even increase the size and strength of a vehicle’s critical front- and back-end crumple zones without increasing overall weight.

Replacing iron and steel with auto aluminum creates a weight savings of 45 to 50 percent while increasing vehicle performance and fuel economy without sacrificing automotive safety

Aluminum absorbs – pound for pound – two times the energy in a crash compared to steel.

Auto aluminum is up to 50 percent lighter than steel, and is proven to be very stiff and safe. Additionally, aluminum has an extended life over other materials, given its excellent corrosion resistance.