A new survey of automotive engineers and designers sponsored by DuPont and published by WardsAuto reveals that lightweighting (the process of making vehicles lighter) is the preferred solution (49%) to meet tougher fuel-consumption requirements, which will increase to 54.5 mpg (4.3L/100km) in the U.S. by 2025.
Other priorities include engine efficiency programs (39%), vehicle electrification (26%), and the adoption of diesel engines (13%).
In a similar survey by WardsAuto in 2011, engine efficiency and electrification topped the list. Lightweighting ranked third.
“There are probably a couple of reasons for the shift,” says Jeff Sternberg, director of DuPont Automotive Technology. “I suspect one of the reasons stems from several high-profile lightweighting examples, like the 2015 Ford F-150 and BMW i3 (electric vehicle). Another reason is the growing recognition that every pound reduced from a component can pay dividends in being able to downsize other parts of the vehicle. For example, if you take 10 lbs. (4.5 kg) out of an engine or exhaust component, you need much smaller and lighter fasteners. All these weight-savings contributions add up.”
The primary targets for lightweighting include the powertrain (24%), chassis (12%), body-in-white (11%), electrical and accessories (9%), and body panels (9%).
As for materials, aluminum is obviously the first choice of engineers (27%), followed by multi-material solutions (16%), engineering plastics (13%), advanced high-strength steel (11%), advanced composites and carbon fibre (8%), and magnesium (1%).
Source : wardsauto.com
Other priorities include engine efficiency programs (39%), vehicle electrification (26%), and the adoption of diesel engines (13%).
In a similar survey by WardsAuto in 2011, engine efficiency and electrification topped the list. Lightweighting ranked third.
“There are probably a couple of reasons for the shift,” says Jeff Sternberg, director of DuPont Automotive Technology. “I suspect one of the reasons stems from several high-profile lightweighting examples, like the 2015 Ford F-150 and BMW i3 (electric vehicle). Another reason is the growing recognition that every pound reduced from a component can pay dividends in being able to downsize other parts of the vehicle. For example, if you take 10 lbs. (4.5 kg) out of an engine or exhaust component, you need much smaller and lighter fasteners. All these weight-savings contributions add up.”
The primary targets for lightweighting include the powertrain (24%), chassis (12%), body-in-white (11%), electrical and accessories (9%), and body panels (9%).
As for materials, aluminum is obviously the first choice of engineers (27%), followed by multi-material solutions (16%), engineering plastics (13%), advanced high-strength steel (11%), advanced composites and carbon fibre (8%), and magnesium (1%).
Source : wardsauto.com