A Brief History of Automotive Aluminum
Many people think that aluminum is an exotic material, but what they don’t know is that’s been a part of the automotive industry way back at the turn of the last century. If you own a car (especially if it’s a European vehicle) there’s a very good chance that has at least a few body parts that are made out of aluminum.
Here is our brief history of automotive aluminum from Service King NE Dallas/LBJ in Dallas, TX with some factoids you probably didn’t know.
Auto Aluminum Goes Back 12 Decades
The very first aluminum-bodied car debuted way back in 1899, followed by the first production vehicle in 1902. As the auto industry expanded, aluminum found favor with a wide range of coachbuilders due to its total malleability. After WWII, aluminum was the go-to material of choice for sports carmakers looking to save some weight. Land Rover also switched over to using aluminum for manufacturing body panels, making it the first due to a series of post-war steel shortages, and then as a strategy to prevent significant rust.
Popular in Vehicles for 2 Decades
The widespread use of aluminum across several brands started in the late 1990s as automakers look for new and different ways to enhance fuel economy. Since then, aluminum hoods, panels, doors, hatches, and trunk lids have become commonplace, giving carmakers a way to save weight without having to re-design the vehicle’s full underlying structure. More recently, car manufacturers started switching over to all-aluminum bodies. Ford was the very first company to release an economical mass-produced aluminum body vehicle with the introduction of the 2015 F-150. This single change let them reduce the truck’s weight by around 800 lbs. Other auto manufacturers are following suit with plans for aluminum models from Lexus, Chevrolet, GMC, and Cadillac planned in the next few years.
Saves Weight and Conserves Gas
Depending on exactly how and where it’s used, aluminum auto parts can be 10-40 percent lighter than an equivalent steel car part. With less weight to move around, a car will need much less power to move and will handle considerably better. Switching to an all-aluminum body can reportedly reduce fuel consumption by up to 24 percent.
In addition, aluminum absorbs customarily twice as much energy as steel in a collision, making it an ideal material for crumple zones. Switching to aluminum doors adds a lot of crash protection in a limited space and has the additional benefit of making them easier to open and close.
It’s Healthy for the Planet
Aluminum is more difficult to make than steel, but the fuel savings result in a net decrease in energy consumption over a car’s life. Also, unlike carbon fiber, for example, it’s easy to recycle. Currently, 90 percent of aluminum in these vehicles is recycled, and this percentage will increase as its use becomes more common.
Sources: Business Insider and Wikipedia
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