STEEL RED-HOT FOR WEIGHT REDUCTION

The steel industry's focus to remain a top material choice has not diminished, especially with automakers and suppliers looking for ways to light-weight passenger vehicles to meet the U.S. government's 54.5-mpg fleet average requirement in 2025.

For safety, performance, and weight reduction, steel remains the top performer among light-weight materials, but the chase for better fuel economy is putting increased pressure on this perennially popular metal.

The steel industry debuted various lightweight demonstration concepts beginning in the late 1990s when aluminum and other lightweight materials challenged steel's longtime dominance as the top vehicle material by mass.