Growth: Did You Know

Automotive aluminum use is at its highest-ever worldwide rate and automakers are continuing to recognize its value. The following facts were gathered from the 2009 growth study. For further insight, please read the North American and International executive summaries.

North American Automotive Aluminum Growth

• 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

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

• 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

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

Increase in Automotive Aluminum Worldwide

• 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

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

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

Leaders in Automotive Aluminum Growth

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

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

Popular Aluminum Components

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

• Aluminum block penetration reached nearly 70 percent – the largest driver of aluminum growth in this decade

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

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

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

The Shift to More Fuel-Efficient Vehicles

• 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

• 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

• 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

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

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

Future of Automotive Aluminum

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

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

• 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

• Worldwide auto aluminum content is projected to grow to 28 to 30 billion pounds per year – up from the current 16 to 17 billion pounds – between now and 2020, not taking scrap and spare parts into account

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