Altair honors lightweight advances

Fitting for an industry that collectively is accelerating electric-vehicle launches, Harley-Davidson's LiveWire electric motorcycle won the Full Vehicle category of the 8th annual Altair Enlighten Awards, the vehicle and component lightweighting competition conducted by Altair and the Center for Automotive Research. Winners were recognized on August 4 in conjunction with CAR's virtual Management Briefing Seminars.

In the Module category, Toyota won for its new, one-piece resin seatback in the 2021 Sienna minivan's folding third row, replacing a 15-piece steel frame. Mubea took top honors in the Enabling Technology category with its glass fiber-reinforced polymer (GFRP) tension leaf spring that offers weight savings of up to 75% compared to conventional designs.