Electric vehicles (EVs) have transformed the automotive sector, and their unique build requirements have made aluminum the material of choice. Unlike gas-powered vehicles, EVs draw electricity from a battery and get charged via an external source, often the power grid. Hybrid vehicles, which have both a battery and an internal combustion engine, also fall under the umbrella of EVs.
Aluminum use in electric vehicles is paving the way for this sector to improve performance in several different areas. Its unique characteristics come with significant benefits in the EV market, and automakers can use it in many different ways. The future of aluminum in EVs is full of opportunities and promise.
Many industries rely on aluminum to help accomplish demanding design requirements. From its thermal properties to its affordability, aluminum brings an array of benefits to the EV market.
One of the primary benefits of aluminum in the EV industry is its low weight. A lower weight helps vehicles increase performance in areas like speed and range while simplifying manufacturing and transportation. It can also help open up new opportunities during design by letting engineers allocate more weight to other components or let consumers carry more cargo or passengers.
Aluminum is especially lightweight when compared to metals like steel. It also offers great strength, making it suitable for car design.
One of the biggest challenges for EV makers has been figuring out how to make these cars drive as far as possible on one charge so they can dependably cover long distances like their gas-powered counterparts. The heavier the car, the harder this goal is to achieve because the battery must use more power to propel the vehicle. Aluminum’s low weight also allows it to drive farther, contributing to the EV market’s relatively new ability to achieve comparable mileage to a full tank of gas.
EV manufacturers are consistently ramping up their mileage capabilities. While new battery tech and design innovations have also helped improve range, aluminum’s low weight plays a major role in many manufacturers’ abilities to reach high ranges and appeal to consumer demand for longer drives.
Similarly, with reduced power requirements, lightweight materials offer much greater energy efficiency for EVs, allowing them to make the most of every bit of power. The EV can allocate its battery life toward other tasks rather than propelling heavy metals. Drivers can reduce charging requirements, helping them save time and minimize electricity costs.
Aluminum’s characteristics give in a range of safety benefits. Low vehicle weight helps with handling, offering responsive steering and better acceleration and braking. Drivers can more readily react to hazards on the road and ideally avoid accidents.
Aluminum also absorbs more energy in collisions than other metals like high-strength steel. For this reason, you’ll even find it used in front and side crash structures on gas-powered vehicles. Some metals offer low weights but cannot offer the same level of strength, making them unsuitable for use in a product with strict safety requirements.
Another safety benefit of aluminum is its excellent corrosion resistance with or without extra coatings or paint. Another metal, like steel, might corrode and deteriorate over time, but aluminum maintains its strength for better safety on the road.
Aluminum is one of the most easily recyclable materials. We can reuse it over and over with no loss in quality. Aluminum recycling in EVs lets manufacturers create quality vehicles with sustainably sourced metals and minimize the car’s environmental impact long after its life span. EV ratings encompass a vehicle’s carbon emissions throughout its lifecycle, and aluminum’s easy recycling can reduce this overall impact.
With reduced power consumption, a lightweight EV made with aluminum can also reduce the size of its battery. Producing large batteries comes can be resource-intensive, so mitigating this process can help reduce carbon emissions. Of course, less electricity required to power the car also contributes to the positive environmental impact of aluminum-built EVs.
As EVs become more affordable and viable for consumers, they will play a major role in removing fossil fuel-powered cars and their emissions from the road. Aluminum’s versatile performance can help improve the adoption of EVs and promote these eco-friendly effects.
Aluminum finds a home in many different parts of an EV thanks to diverse alloys and fabrication methods. Some components commonly built with aluminum include:
Many body components use alloys in the 6XXX series, primarily made with magnesium and silicon to create a more ductile, flexible form of aluminum. Some EV manufacturers use magnesium-based alloys in the 5XXX series for more corrosion resistance and high tensile strength. Others make entirely new alloys, like Tesla, which filed for a patent with a high-performing version of aluminum.
You’ll see aluminum used all over EVs, replacing heavier metals for some of the largest parts of the car to significantly reduce weight.
Working with aluminum in EVs can come with some challenges for car makers, including:
Like all materials, aluminum has a few unique requirements, but with careful planning, most manufacturers can combat these challenges and reliably use aluminum in EVs.
Many EV manufacturers make good use of aluminum in their vehicles, using it for many different parts of the car. It often paves the way for an ideal balance between performance and costs, helping manufacturers achieve high crashworthiness, fire resistance, electromagnetic compatibility and other desirable characteristics at affordable prices. These qualities can aid in meeting established and emerging requirements set by regulatory agencies and consumer demands.
While many new EVs use aluminum, some of the most prominent users include Tesla, BMW and Audi. Audi, for example, uses aluminum in its e-tron GT lineup to prioritize safety and optimize range. Tesla creates the entire body shell for its Model Y vehicles out of aluminum. This design features a skateboard-style aluminum frame for the battery enclosure, protecting it in a more rigid, stiff frame without adding unwanted weight.
Other manufacturers have begun to use similar designs, benefitting from the low weight of aluminum while avoiding difficult production limitations. While aluminum can introduce some unique complexities in EV production, the industry has kept pace with new innovations and designs that accommodate and maximize the benefits.
EVs have introduced considerable opportunities in the automotive aluminum market with the ability to significantly change vehicle weights and overall performance. As EV manufacturers continue to improve range and efficiency, they will likely keep aluminum alloys as the material of choice for its well-rounded characteristics.
Some of the trends guiding aluminum use in EVs include:
The future of aluminum in EVs looks exceedingly bright, and this unique metal will play a key role in how manufacturers design these environmentally friendly cars.
Aluminum is a major influence in the EV market, with wide-reaching capabilities that affect everything from maximum range to passenger safety. Manufacturers use aluminum for many parts of EVs thanks to the diverse characteristics of alloys like the 6XXX series. While aluminum construction still involves a few challenges and unique production requirements, many manufacturers continue to take advantage of its unparalleled benefits. Still, with stringent regulations, large-vehicle demands and other trends driving the industry, ongoing research and development can significantly affect its future. Exploring new alloys, designs and technologies can help us make the most of automotive aluminum. Stay up to date on this evolving industry with HARBOR Aluminum. Sign up for our regular market intelligence reports, or reach out today to learn more about our services.
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