Is an Aluminum Car in Your Future? Automakers Opting for More Aluminum

DETROIT, May 2 -- With a 4,000 pound aluminum-bodied luxury sedan perched atop 12-ounce aluminum beverage cans as the backdrop, aluminum industry officials today released a new report detailing the metal's continued growth in new car and truck production. The report, commissioned by The Aluminum Association, Inc., indicates that automakers are opting to use more aluminum in automotive body panels and in a wide-range of components. Recently published media reports also confirm that aluminum now surpasses plastic for average vehicle content, behind only iron and steel.

Speaking from The New Detroit Science Center, Dr. Richard L. Klimisch, vice president of The Aluminum Association, observed, "This report details how high strength, yet low weight aluminum technologies are making tremendous gains in automotive applications. That's great news for consumers, since aluminum can boost the environmental, safety and driving performance of their cars and trucks."

Detroit-based Ducker Research Company, on behalf of The Aluminum Association, conducted the 2002 North American Light Vehicle Aluminum Content Study. The comprehensive report forecasts materials use for all passenger cars, SUVs, pickups and minivans vehicles expected to be manufactured in North America in 2002. According to the report, this year's average aluminum content for passenger cars and light trucks combined is 274 pounds. This reflects a 23-pound increase over the average of 251 pounds of aluminum Ducker estimated for all vehicles produced in 1999.

The study also concludes that aluminum content in North American cars and light trucks is expected to continue growing at its current rate well into the foreseeable future. This study is consistent with related aluminum industry research that shows total auto industry usage of aluminum (as measured in tons procured) more than doubled for cars and even tripled for SUVs, pickups and minivans over the past decade.

"Word out of the auto industry suggests the best way for automakers to survive in the global market place is to slash their production costs -- that's only part of the story. To gain the competitive edge, automakers need to design affordable, yet highly desirable vehicles that consumers will flock to buy. Aluminum's value advantage is its ability to attract auto buyers because aluminum simply helps build a better car. That's why many of the most fuel efficient, safest and highest performing vehicles on the road today rely on aluminum. The attributes that aluminum delivers are clearly in high demand," added Klimisch.

To reinforce his point, Klimisch noted several facts:

* Highly recyclable aluminum can also make cars and trucks lighter, requiring less fuel for travel and producing fewer greenhouse gas emissions. The most fuel-efficient car in the U.S. -- the 70-mpg Honda Insight -- is all-aluminum. * Cars made lighter with aluminum can have improved acceleration, braking and handling. Many of the world's top performance vehicles -- like the Ferrari 360 Modena -- are all-aluminum. * Pound for pound, aluminum can be up to two-and-a-half times stronger than steel and can absorb twice as much crash energy. The Audi A8 -- which earned a perfect five star government crash test rating -- is all-aluminum.

Highlighting aluminum's ability to offer incredible strength through advanced design, the focal point of today's event was an Audi S8 resting atop aluminum beverage cans. The full-size luxury sedan was only supported by off-the-shelf aluminum six-packs, one under each wheel.

Francois Castaing, Chairman of The New Detroit Science Center, noted, "This four thousand pound aluminum-bodied sedan perched atop a few twelve-ounce aluminum cans stands as a powerful physics experiment. The lesson learned is that advanced design matched with advanced materials can combine to offer incredible strength. That formula holds true for cans -- and it holds true for automobiles. This is all the more important considering the children visiting the Science Center today may well be driving all-aluminum cars and trucks in the next few years."

Highlights of the new study include:

* Aluminum content in the average passenger car increased 25 pounds to 267 pounds per vehicle. * Aluminum content in the average light truck increased 22 pounds to 279 pounds per vehicle. * Much of aluminum's growth can be attributed to large increases in aluminum engine blocks (38.8 percent in 2002, up from 22.5 percent in 1999) and cylinder heads (85.8 percent in 2002, up from 69.4 percent in 1999). * An increase in the number of aluminum closure panels from 2.2 million parts in 1999 to 3.8 million parts in 2002. * An increase in aluminum wheel penetration from 58 percent in 1999 to 62 percent in 2002. * The high percentage of recycled aluminum used in new vehicle construction remains nearly constant (62 percent in 1999 and 61 percent in 2002).

To learn more about the new study, or about the performance advantages of automotive aluminum, please visit www.autoaluminum.org or call 248.784.3005.

The Aluminum Association, based in Washington, D.C. with offices in Detroit, Mich., represents primary producers of aluminum, recyclers and producers of semi-fabricated products. Member companies operate almost 200 plants in the United States and many conduct business worldwide.