Lightweighting: WHAT'S NEXT?

Experts weigh in on the challenges and future enablers in the battle to reduce vehicle mass.

Are there any automakers who haven't yet put at least one new model through the weight-reduction wringer? Vehicle mass efficiency has joined the vanguard of product development where every gram lost is heralded. And it's no passing fad-escalating global fuel economy and safety regulations ensure that lightweighting, as a product-development tenet, is here to stay.

The list of 2016 vehicles that are lighter than their predecessors continues to grow. It includes such notables as the Nissan Altima, which dropped 80 lb (36 kg). Acura's TLX is lighter by 55 lb (25 kg). The Chevrolet Malibu, part of GM's mass reduction crusade, shed a whopping 300 lb (136 kg) versus the previous car. Experts say a 100-kg (220-lb) reduction in vehicle weight typically brings a 3%-5% reduction in CO₂ emissions, depending on vehicle size and powertrain solutions.