This content is not included in
your SAE MOBILUS subscription, or you are not logged in.
Weight Reduction Potential of Passenger Cars and Light Trucks by Material Substitution
Annotation ability available
Sector:
Language:
English
Abstract
This paper describes a study conducted to evaluate the potential of weight reduction by material substitution for passenger cars and light trucks.
Production vehicles considered to be optimally designed for a given functional size are selected as baseline vehicles for the study. The component weight and material of these baseline vehicles are obtained through vehicle teardown. To simplify the analysis, components which are selected for the material substitution analysis are grouped by their geometrical form into panel members, thin-walled beam members, and solid section members.
Four alternative materials are used in the analysis. These include high strength steels (HSS), aluminum alloys, fiberglass reinforced plastics (FRP), and hybrid reinforced plastics (HRP). The analysis is carried out for four cases of material substitution: the HSS dominant case, the FRP dominant case, the aluminum dominant case, and the HRP dominant case.
Applying equal stiffness as the structural requirement, weight savings by direct material substitution are computed for each baseline vehicle. Results show that primary weight reduction in the range of 10 to 33 percent of original curb weight is possible with direct material substitution.
Recommended Content
| Technical Paper | Structural Requirements in Material Substitution for Car-Weight Reduction |
| Technical Paper | Reinforced Plastics - What They Can Do for You in the Next 10 Years |
| Ground Vehicle Standard | Classification System for Automotive Polyamide (PA) Plastics |
Authors
Citation
Hsia, H. and Kidd, J., "Weight Reduction Potential of Passenger Cars and Light Trucks by Material Substitution," SAE Technical Paper 800803, 1980, https://doi.org/10.4271/800803.Also In
References
- “Passenger Car Specifications,” June 1977
- Austin T. C. Hellman K. H. “Passenger Car Fuel Economy Trends and Influencing Factors,” SAE Paper 730790 September 1973
- Malliaris A. C. Withjack E. Gould H. “Simulated Sensitivities of Auto Fuel Economy, Performance and Emissions,” SAE Paper 760157 February 1976
- “Designs for Automotive Weight Reduction,”
- “Aluminum - An Alternative in the Energy Crisis,” June 1979
- Trueman E. P. “Weight Saving Approaches Through the Use of Fiberglass - Reinforced Plastic,” SAE Paper 750155 February 1975
- Kaiser Robert “Automotive Applications of Composite Materials,” July 1978
- Chang D. C. Justusson T. W. “Structural Requirements in Material Substitutions for Car-Weight Reduction,” SAE Paper 760023 February 1976
- Dinda S. Kelley D. K. Kasper A. S. “High Strength Steels in Production Automobiles,” SAE Paper 780139 February 1978
- Gutherie A. L. “Fairmont/Zephyr - Engineered for Lightweight and Improved Fuel Efficiency,” SAE Paper 780134 February 1978
- Adams, D. G. et al “Charger XL: A Lightweight Materials Development Vehicle,” SAE Paper 760203 February 1976
- Magee C. L. “Weight Interaction - Part I: 1975 Ford Cars,”
- June 20 1979
- Hooven F. J. Kennedy F. E. “The Potential for Automobile Weight Reduction Outlook as of 1975–1976,” August 1978
- “Light Duty Truck Weight Reduction Evaluation,” March 1980