Light and Mighty

Finding innovative ways to reduce vehicle weight while maintaining vehicle safety will be key to achieving the 2025 fuel-economy target.

On the road to the 2025 Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) target of 54.5 mpg, reducing vehicle mass is universally recognized as a key technology necessary to help achieve this ambitious mark. Mass reduction has been ongoing since the automobile was invented, with steadily increasing amounts of aluminum, plastics/composites, and high-strength steels in vehicles; however, the new CAFE regulations will require further acceleration in the rate of implementation, while not making any sacrifices when it comes to vehicle safety.

“There's no doubt in my mind that [NHTSA'S] position is that it will accept zero compromise in terms of safety as you make these cars more fuel-efficient. And if lightweighting is one of your solutions, it will not accept any compromise in vehicle safety in terms of its crashworthiness,” said Dr. Jay Baron, President of the Center for Automotive Research (CAR) and Director of the Coalition of Automotive Lightweighting Materials (CALM).