Fact #786: July 1, 2013 Use of Lightweight Materials is on the Rise

As automakers strive to improve fuel economy, they have turned increasingly to lightweight materials to reduce overall vehicle weight. For example, most light vehicle engine blocks are now made of aluminum rather than cast iron, and in many cases, aluminum wheels have replaced heavier steel wheels as standard equipment. Use of regular steel has declined by an average of 172 pounds per vehicle from 1995 to 2011 while the use of high and medium strength steels has increased by 284 lbs. per vehicle. The increased use of high and medium strength steel is significant because it allows manufacturers to improve the structural integrity of vehicles while keeping the overall vehicle weight to a minimum. The use of plastics and composites has also increased by 57% and lightweight magnesium castings have seen greater use in dashboards and other interior applications such as seat components, replacing the heavier steel components that were previously used.

Average Material Content of Light Vehicles, 1995-2011

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Supporting Information

**Average Material Content of Light Vehicles, 1995-2011 (Pounds of material per vehicle)**
Material	1995	1996	1997	1998	1999	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009	2010	2011
Regular Steel	1,630	1,636	1,649	1,669	1,662	1,655	1,652	1,649	1,646	1,650	1,634	1,622	1,644	1,629	1,501	1,542	1,458
High & Medium Strength Steel	324	333	346	378	390	408	424	443	460	479	491	500	518	523	524	559	608
Stainless Steel	51	53	55	59	60	62	63	64	65	70	71	73	75	75	69	73	73
Other Steels	46	44	42	40	30	26	28	30	32	34	35	35	34	34	31	33	32
Iron Castings	466	444	438	438	436	432	384	355	336	331	328	331	322	301	206	237	275
Aluminum	231	224	227	245	257	268	286	294	303	315	316	323	313	315	324	344	355
Magnesium Castings	4	6	6	7	7	8	10	9	10	10	10	10	10	11	12	13	12
Copper and Brass	50	51	53	53	52	52	53	55	57	59	59	61	53	64	63	65	67
Lead	33	34	35	35	35	36	37	35	35	37	37	39	42	45	42	40	41
Zinc Castings	19	19	18	17	14	13	11	10	10	10	10	10	9	10	9	9	9
Powder Metal	29	28	31	33	35	36	38	39	41	43	42	42	43	43	41	41	41
Other Metals	4	4	4	4	4	4	4	4	4	5	4	5	5	5	5	6	5
Plastics/Plastic Composites	240	257	260	278	265	286	298	307	319	337	332	338	331	343	376	378	377
Rubber	149	154	158	166	159	166	163	167	171	173	173	174	189	185	198	200	222
Coatings	23	25	24	26	24	25	26	26	25	28	27	29	29	28	34	34	34
Textiles	42	41	47	43	42	44	45	45	46	51	48	48	46	48	52	54	48
Fluids & Lubricants	192	198	199	201	204	207	208	209	210	210	210	211	215	214	219	226	223
Glass	97	99	100	99	101	103	104	104	105	105	104	105	106	106	93	94	98
Other Materials	64	65	65	58	66	71	75	79	83	87	86	88	92	91	90	92	94
Total	3,694	3,715	3,757	3,849	3,843	3,902	3,909	3,924	3,958	4,034	4,017	4,044	4,076	4,070	3,889	4,040	4,072
Source: Oak Ridge National Laboratory, 2012 Vehicle Technologies Market Report, February 2013, accessed May 30, 2013 and Wards Communications.

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Average Material Content of Light Vehicles, 1995-2011 Image

Supporting Information

Average Material Content of Light Vehicles, 1995-2011

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