New aluminum technology brings hope for lighter electric vehicles

Impression Technologies Ltd (ITL) and fischer group have presented novel forming solutions for ultra-high-strength aluminum structures. The developments have the potential for widespread application in automotive production, especially in electric vehicles.

Who

Since becoming ITL’s first globally accredited HFQ (Hot Form Quench) partner in December 2020, fischer has invested in a dedicated state-of-the-art high volume HFQ manufacturing line in Achern, Germany. ITL, which has been developing and commercializing the core HFQ Technology since 2012, showcased the world’s first example of an HFQ-formed high-strength aluminum structure using the 100%-recycled 6082 alloy. The alloy is a recycled aluminum with the potential to reduce embodied carbon by over 90%.

The producers of the structures claim that many new and established OEMs have shown an interest in the technology.

Why it matters

For electric vehicles – which are already heavy because of their battery requirements – every kilogram of weight saved has outsized effects across the board. This includes increased range, which leads to better battery health and decreases energy use. Applied across the entire industry, the cumulative environmental effect of weight reduction is hard to overstate. The fact that the potential weight savings might be achieved with the use of recycled materials only adds to the circular economic benefits.

It now remains to be seen whether the interest displayed by OEMs will actually lead to more lightweight recycled aluminum being used in upcoming vehicles.