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China Poised for Aluminum-Bodied Cars?
China's demand for sheet aluminum used to make car bodies could surge to 1.8 million tons by 2015 from almost zero today if the country can develop sufficient technical expertise, says Beijing-based CCID Consulting Co.
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China's demand for sheet aluminum used to make car bodies could surge to 1.8 million tons by 2015 from almost zero today if the country can develop sufficient technical expertise, says Beijing-based CCID Consulting Co. Ltd.
The firm notes that demand for greater fuel economy is pushing interest in lightweight materials. It also estimates that an aluminum passenger car body weighs 46% less than the same shell produced in steel.
But CCID says domestic producers have been reluctant to consider aluminum because of the cost of developing the necessary skills in shaping, bonding and painting. The firm also describes the aluminum alloy sheet stock currently available in China as thick, expensive and inadequate to meet automotive performance standards.
CCID predicts China's vehicle market will expand an average 8.1% annually over the next three years, reaching 25.3 million units by 2015. It says stable sales growth for the country's auto industry will help drive interest in aluminum-bodied vehicles.
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