Like many industries, automakers and their partners (Tier 1 and Tier 2) are facing a transition: climate change and increasingly environmentally conscious consumer expectations are forcing manufacturers to produce new low-and zero-emission vehicles. However, it will take some time for the famous internal combustion engine to withdraw from the stage of history. Lightweight with new advanced materials such as composites is a key approach. Easy-to-recycle aluminum is also an attractive option for manufacturers seeking to offer competitive traditional and new innovative vehicles.

Aluminum in Powertrain Parts

The powertrain of European passenger cars usually contains about 80kg of aluminum, which means that the engine, gearbox, suspension parts, housing and other parts are an obvious area of concern for lightweight measures.

In terms of weight reduction, the engine block and its accessories (such as intake manifold, water pump, etc.) are the most important group of automotive parts, because it accounts for 3-4% of the average vehicle's total weight. By replacing traditional cast iron with aluminum alloy, the weight of the engine block can be reduced by as much as 40-55% (although the strength of aluminum is lower than that of gray cast iron).

Some transmission parts (especially gearbox housings, electrification equipment/parts, suspension arms and rear axles) are best examples of powertrain applications where aluminum is the material of choice.