FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact Kristin Tyll
(248) 824-8200
ktyll@stratacomm.net
Lightweighting Solutions Key to Helping Meet Tough New Fuel Economy
Standards, Aluminum Industry Says
WASHINGTON, D.C., April 1, 2010 (News Release)
– In response to the signing of the final fuel economy standards
and greenhouse gas emissions rules by the U.S. Department of
Transportation and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the
following statement was issued by Randall Scheps, Chairman of The
Aluminum Association, Inc.’s Aluminum Transportation Group:
“As automakers strive to meet tough new fuel economy and
emissions standards, aluminum solutions must be part of a holistic
approach to include lighter yet stronger materials, smart design,
advanced powertrains and cleaner fuels. When aluminum structures are
matched with advanced powertrains, their consumer benefits can be
increased with even greater efficiencies and reduced costs.
Aluminum is more crash absorbent than steel and can safely cut
vehicle weight without reducing vehicle size, which offers great
potential, since lighter vehicles can produce fewer emissions and need
less fuel or battery power to operate. In fact, consumers can get a 5 to
7 percent vehicle fuel economy improvement for every 10 percent weight
reduction by substituting aluminum for conventional steel. For plug-in
electric vehicles, upgrading from traditional steel to an advanced
aluminum body structure offers potential cost savings of up to $3,000
per vehicle, since the stored energy requirements of expensive batteries
can be cut by 10 percent. Both aluminum-structured hybrids and
aluminum-bodied diesels could return about a 13 percent increase in fuel
economy, as compared to steel-bodied hybrids and diesel vehicles.
In terms of emissions, lightweighting the world’s overall
transportation fleet through the use of aluminum has the potential to
reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 660 million tons annually, or nearly
nine percent of global, transportation-related greenhouse gas emissions.
In the auto sector, using aluminum can save a net 20 pounds of CO2 over
the typical lifecycle of a vehicle for each pound of aluminum replacing
two pounds of iron or steel – and more than 90 percent of
automotive aluminum is recovered and recycled.
The aluminum industry applauds the Administration for continuing to
support size-based standards for passenger cars. Size-based standards
allow automakers to build the large vehicles that consumers demand with
the fuel efficiency they expect and to positively impact future vehicle
design and construction. Vehicle size – not weight – has
been shown to be a better determinant of vehicle safety.
With nearly 40 years of uninterrupted growth, use of automotive
aluminum in North American light vehicles is estimated at nearly 9
percent of vehicle curb weight in 2010 – an all-time high. For the
next generation of cleaner, safer, higher performing vehicles, aluminum
will continue to be a growing part of the
solution.”
The Aluminum Association provided docketed comments and comprehensive
safety and cost benefit research to the National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration as part of this fuel economy rulemaking. For more
information, to obtain a copy of the Association’s cost,
powertrain, safety or growth studies, or to arrange an interview on any
of these issues, please contact Kristin Tyll at 248.824.8200 or ktyll@stratacomm.net
or visit www.autoaluminum.org.
# # #
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. Members of the ATG include: Alcoa Inc., Novelis
Inc., Alcan Inc, Aluminum Precision Products Inc., Kaiser Aluminum
Corporation and Sapa Group.
| Aluminum Association, Aluminum Transportation Group, Randall Scheps, fuel economy, EPA, lightweighting |
