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Ford Won’t Push Aluminum Usage in Cars
Joe Hinrichs
Car and truck customers alike want better fuel economy.
#aluminum #economics
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Joe Hinrichs
Car and truck customers alike want better fuel economy. But truck buyers won't give up load and towing capacity to get it.
Ford Motor Co. says it turned to aluminum for its F-150 pickup to give customers all three attributes. But for cars, where hauling performance isn't as critical, there are less costly ways to improve mileage.
That's why Ford doesn't expect to use much aluminum in its cars beyond doors and hoods, says Americas President Joe Hinrichs.
Hinrichs tells attendees at this week's Automotive News World Congress in Detroit that Ford is "far along" in reducing the weight of next-generation cars. Presumably that means engineering them with lighter but more conventional materials, such as higher-strength steels.
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