Recent Trends and Technical Challenges Regarding Aluminum Alloy Sheets for Automobiles

Aluminum alloy sheets are increasingly being adopted, primarily for panels, as a material that contributes to the weight reduction of automobiles. In recent years, efforts toward carbon neutrality have been accelerated, including the shift to BEVs in automobiles and the reduction of CO2 emissions during material manufacturing. The needs for aluminum alloy sheets are also changing, due to the emergence of new parts, specific to BEVs, that necessitate further weight reduction and the pursuit of design flexibility. Now technological development is required to respond to these changes. Furthermore, to reduce CO2 emissions, it is necessary to promote recycling, which involves technical challenges in suppressing the deterioration of properties due to impurities and in unifying the alloys for each component of parts. This paper introduces the current needs and challenges for automotive aluminum alloy sheets and provides examples of Kobe Steel’s efforts to address them. © 2024 Kobe Steel Ltd. All rights reserved.