Materials lead the way to vehicle mass reduction

Reducing a vehicle's mass opens the door for a downsized engine and transmission, a lighter cradle and body structure, smaller wheels and brakes, as well as a weight-slimmed suspension. The start point for this ripple effect is materials.

THE LIGHTWEIGHT MATERIALS MENU FEATURES METALS AND NON-METALS, yet the selection process is not a one-size-fits-all solution. Without question, every lightweight material choice matters, especially with the industry working in overdrive to meet the U.S. federal mandate for a 54.5-mpg fleet average in the 2025MY. That's in addition to a bevy of other upcoming governmental fuel economy and CO₂ emissions regulations around the globe.

Jeffrey Moyer, Vice President of Business Development & Engineering at Meridian Lightweight Technologies, said the reality is that only two critical model-year life cycles remain for automakers to reach the 54.5-mpg requirement.