Cost-Effectiveness of a Lightweight Design for 2020-2025: An Assessment of a Light-Duty Pickup Truck

Abstract

The United States Environmental Protection Agency contracted with FEV North America, Inc. to conduct a whole vehicle analysis of the potential for mass reduction and related cost impacts for a future light-duty pickup truck. The goal was to evaluate the incremental costs of reducing vehicle mass on a body on frame vehicle at levels that are feasible in the 2020 to 2025 model year (MY) timeframe given the design, material, and manufacturing processes likely to be available, without sacrificing utility, performance, or safety. The holistic, vehicle-level approach and body-structure CAE modeling that were demonstrated in a previous study of a mid-sized crossover utility vehicle were used for this study. In addition, evaluations of closures performance, durability, and vehicle dynamics that are unique to pickup trucks are included. Secondary mass reduction was also analyzed on a part by part basis with consideration of vehicle performance requirements. This paper presents an overview of the study "Vehicle Mass Reduction and Cost Analysis-Light-duty Pickup Truck Model Years 2020-2025", by FEV North America, Inc. This study indicates that when mass reduction strategies are considered using a full-vehicle approach, significant mass reduction can be achieved relative to a 2011 light-duty pickup while maintaining vehicle functional objectives. The incremental results are assembled into a curve for mass reduction costs (in $/kg), as a function of the vehicle mass reduction level. Results from the study show that relative to the baseline vehicle (2011MY), mass reduction levels below 9% can result in a cost savings (cumulative net incremental direct manufacturing costs) with cumulative costs increasing to $4.36/kg, or $2,228 per vehicle, at 21.4% (510.9 kg) mass reduction.

Critical factors affecting life cycle assessments of material choice for vehicle mass reduction

“…Therefore, the suite of lightweight alloys and polymers available to designers will continue to grow. There is a large trend towards aluminum because of its mass reducing potential, cost, and performance, which is represented both in the academic literature and through R&D investments by the industry (Automobili Lamborghini, 2016;BMW, 2016;Bushi et al, 2015;Caffrey et al, 2015;Ducker Worldwide, 2014;Gina-Marie Cheeseman, 2016;Hirsch, 2011;Modaresi et al, 2014). Ford, Mercedes, BMW, Jaguar-Land Rover, and Tesla are all integrating more aluminum into their vehicles with Ducker Worldwide estimating that 17.5 million vehicles produced in 2015 contain nearly 3 billion kg (7 billion lbs) of aluminum, a 28 % increase over the aluminum content of vehicles produced in 2012 (Ducker Worldwide, 2014).…”

“…With optimization of the vehicle body structure and geometry now being an inherent step in the design of a new vehicle, further vehicle mass reduction must be accomplished by expanding the suite of materials utilized in vehicle construction through targeted efforts based on specific material properties, forming technologies, and integration into complete vehicle designs (Mayyas et al, 2012a;Modaresi et al, 2014). The primary contributors to a vehicle's weight and the focus of most mass reduction efforts are the components that make up the body-in-white (BIW) (the stage in automotive design and manufacturing where a vehicle's body components have been welded together to form a structure) and closures, which are primarily metal in most current light-duty vehicles (Caffrey et al, 2015). Some materials perform better than others for certain vehicle applications based on the current range of characteristics of a particular metal, metal alloy, or composite.…”

Green Principles for Vehicle Lightweighting

“…Lightweighting can be achieved in several ways, with material substitution and changes in design and construction being the most common. ,,,− Substitution ratios that indicate the amount of lightweight (LW) material used to replace an existing material (e.g., aluminum for steel) have been developed for a range of applications and materials. ,, An alternative approach advocates making vehicle parts using near-net-shape manufacturing pathways to reduce waste of existing materials. − The Appendix to the Midterm Evaluation of Light-Duty Vehicle Greenhouse Gas Emission Standards and Corporate Average Fuel Economy Standards for Model Years 2022–2025 lists a number of mass reduction technologies for materials such as steel and aluminum as well as lightweighting implementation examples like Ford Motor Company’s aluminum-intensive F150 . Although material substitution and other lightweighting approaches can reduce use-phase energy consumption and GHG emissions, they often result in higher burdens in other life cycle phases.…”

Applications of High-Pressure Die-Casting (HPDC) Magnesium Alloys in Industry

“…Manufacturing a seatback frame with one-piece HPDC magnesium alloy can have advantages over injection molding using fiber reinforced composite which is another alternative solution for lightweighting. Figure 5(c) shows the 2014 BMW i3 back seat made through injection molding using PA66 with long glass fiber by BASF [38]. The plastic seat frame has a weight of 2.3 kg which does show weight reduction over the steel frame it replaced but requires another 2 kg steel reinforcement recliner to maintain strength [38].…”