Photo: Ford
Consulting and research firm Ducker Worldwide forecasts that 70 percent of pickup trucks will have their bodyshells made out of aluminum by 2025. The Blue Oval has already made a step in this direction with the 2015 Ford F-150, slated to go on sale later this year.
Compared to the outgoing model, the all-new Ford F-Series pickup will be up to 700 pounds (317 kilograms) lighter thanks its aluminum construction. That translates in better fuel economy, improved driving dynamics and more towing and hauling prowness. Another plus is that the military-grade aluminum alloy used to manufacture the F-150's bed is virtually rustproof.
Comissioned by the Aluminum Transportation Group, the study hints that more and more automakers are using aluminum to lessen vehicle weight and improve torsional rigidity. On average, every 100 pounds of weight reduction translates in a fuel efficiency hike of 1 to 2 percent. Another tell-tale sign that the future of personal transport is aluminum-laden is represented by the increasingly drastic federal fuel efficiency regulations such as the notorious Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standard.
Based on industry data, vehicles sold in the United States averaged more than 350 pounds of aluminum content in their construction in 2013. By 2015, that figure is expected to rise to almost 400 pounds and 550 pounds by 2025, respectively. Estimates show that the auto industry will need circa 20 times more raw aluminum in 2025 compared to the quantity used nowadays.
Thankfully, the chemical element in the boron group with the symbol Al is the third most abundant element on Earth after oxygen and silicon, making it the most abundant metal. Bauxite as an ore is considered to be the world's main source of aluminum. At the present time, automakers need circa 200 million pounds of aluminum yearly to manufacture passenger vehicles, but that number is estimated to hike up to 4 billion pounds by 2025.
Comissioned by the Aluminum Transportation Group, the study hints that more and more automakers are using aluminum to lessen vehicle weight and improve torsional rigidity. On average, every 100 pounds of weight reduction translates in a fuel efficiency hike of 1 to 2 percent. Another tell-tale sign that the future of personal transport is aluminum-laden is represented by the increasingly drastic federal fuel efficiency regulations such as the notorious Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standard.
Based on industry data, vehicles sold in the United States averaged more than 350 pounds of aluminum content in their construction in 2013. By 2015, that figure is expected to rise to almost 400 pounds and 550 pounds by 2025, respectively. Estimates show that the auto industry will need circa 20 times more raw aluminum in 2025 compared to the quantity used nowadays.
Thankfully, the chemical element in the boron group with the symbol Al is the third most abundant element on Earth after oxygen and silicon, making it the most abundant metal. Bauxite as an ore is considered to be the world's main source of aluminum. At the present time, automakers need circa 200 million pounds of aluminum yearly to manufacture passenger vehicles, but that number is estimated to hike up to 4 billion pounds by 2025.
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