Obama Administration, Auto and Truck Makers Should Pursue Lower Weight Vehicles in Concert with Other Technologies to Boost Fuel Efficiency

Reducing weight is part of the solution to improving transport efficiency 

 DETROIT (Tuesday, January 12, 2010) – The Obama Administration recently announced new grants, totaling $187 million, to major auto and heavy-truck manufacturers and suppliers to boost fuel efficiency. Following is a response from Randall Scheps, chairman of The Aluminum Association’s Aluminum Transportation Group and director of ground transportation for Alcoa:

“The aluminum industry applauds the Obama Administration for encouraging faster implementation of fuel-efficient technology through the new grants awarded this week.   Lightweighting with aluminum is highly complementary to all the great powertrain advancements that will be developed as part of the program.  As powertrains become more sophisticated, the value to be gained by lightweighting increases.  For example, a hybrid electric vehicle with a light, safe aluminum body gets 13 percent better fuel economy than the same vehicle with a traditional, heavy steel body; improving the payback on the technology.

The real beauty of lightweighting with aluminum is that it improves the payback on all types of advanced powertrains; opting for lightweight aluminum versus heavier steel sets off a virtuous cycle. Lightweight aluminum intensive vehicles require less energy to move around than steel vehicles.  This leads to smaller, lighter, and less costly powertrains, which leads to other components being made smaller, lighter, and less costly. The net result is even better fuel economy and emissions performance without compromising safety, durability, or comfort. 

Passenger vehicles:

• A hybrid electric car with an aluminum body would be 13 percent more efficient than with a steel body.
• Every dollar invested in lightweighting an electric vehicle with aluminum saves three dollars in battery cost.
• Aluminum use in cars already saves 300 million tons of CO2 emissions annually by making cars more efficient.  If this trend continues, aluminum use in cars will be saving 500 million tons of CO2 by 2020.

Heavy trucks:

• A 10 percent weight reduction in a Class 8 truck can improve freight efficiency by up to 5.5 percent.
• Saving one ton of weight in a class 8 truck saves 2000 gallons of diesel fuel.
• Advanced powertrains and emissions equipment add significant weight to new trucks.  Aluminum can offset the weight gains and improve freight efficiency.

The Aluminum Association has a broad array of third party research that proves the value of lightweighting with aluminum in cars and trucks. In the second quarter of this year, our newest study which is a detailed predictive model of how lightweighting saves fuel in heavy trucks will be released.  As we look to the future, the Aluminum Association challenges and encourages all auto and heavy truck manufacturers and suppliers to consider a holistic solution comprising both lightweighting and new powertrains to achieve aggressive fuel-efficiency goals.”

For more information, to obtain a copy of any of the Association’s studies, or to arrange an interview on any of these issues, please contact Kristin Tyll at 248.824.8200 or ktyll@stratacomm.net.

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 About the Aluminum Association

Through its Aluminum Transportation Group, the Aluminum Association communicates the benefits of aluminum in ground transportation applications to help accelerate its penetration through research programs and related outreach activities. The ATG’s mission is to serve member companies and act as a central resource for the automotive and commercial vehicle industries on aluminum issues. Member of the ATG include:  Alcoa Inc., Novelis Inc., Alcan Inc, Aluminum Precision Products Inc., Kaiser Aluminum Corporation and Sapa Group.