Page 8 - Mortor Fan illustrated

ALUMINUM Smart Developments

Case Study Case Study

04 04 The Audi e-tron EV platform 05 05 MX-5 with lightweight properties

Mazda MX-5
EV Platform

Audi e-tron Sport concept Aluminum alloy front bumper

The Mazda MX-5 (ND) front
The large-capacity lithium-ion battery bumper reinforcement uses Front bumper
loaded on the Audi e-tron is made up of a 7000 series high-strength reinforcement: 4.2kg
aluminum alloy modules, each containing aluminum alloy newly Aluminum alloy power plant frame
12 ‘pouch’ cells. To produce the battery developed by UACJ. The power plant frames used for the MX-5 are press-formed
pack, the modules are placed in an products made of 6000 series high-strength aluminum alloy
aluminum alloy housing. plate for structural purposes produced by UACJ.

Strength 7003
5 5 New
4 4
3 3
Weldability 2 2 Corrosion
resistance
1 1
0 0
Bending Hollow extrusion Motor Fan illustrated
workability performance
Motor Fan illustrated

Front electric motor
Among the aluminum components used for the Mazda MX-5,
Rear electric motors Previous model Aluminum ALUMINUM Smart Developments
Ultra-high tensile steel
1,180MPa the bumper reinforcement is of special interest. In order to
980MPa meet the increasingly strict collision safety standards, the
780MPa
590MPa performance required for front bumpers is becoming very high.
390/440MPa
270MPa Regarding the MX-5, further weight reduction was achieved
ALUMINUM Smart Developments
while at the same time securing a safety performance of the
highest level. Reducing the weight of the components which
08 Mazda MX-5 are the furthest from the vehicle’s center of gravity is effective 09
4th Generation not only for improving fuel efficiency but also for increasing
(ND)
maneuverability.
Further weight reduction has been gained by using the 7000
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
series high-strength aluminum alloy extruded shapes newly
developed by UACJ.
Aluminum alloys have been widely used in the MAZDA MX-5 to create a
Charging point lightweight but highly rigid body.

Liquid cooled
lithium-ion battery

Regarding the structure of vehicles which are rapidly making weight becomes. That is why the use of lightweight aluminum
their way to being electric-powered, it is now becoming alloys is favored. For example, the Audi e-tron’s battery
standard to lay out the lithium-ion batteries in an aluminum housing consists of 47% aluminum extruded shapes, 36%
frame positioned under the floor as part of the body structure. aluminum sheets, and 17% aluminum cast products. Despite
Tesla took the initiative and the BMW i3 was the pioneering being made of aluminum, the total weight of the system TESLA MODEL-S JAGUAR I-PACE Range Rover Sport
model for this. Audi’s e-tron has adopted a similar structure reaches up to 700kg. Considering the structure in terms of The chassis of the Tesla Model-S has an The I-PACE is the SUV model of Jaguar’s first Based on knowhow accumulated through the
and Jaguar’s I-PACE displays the same concept. The mileage shock being dispersed during a side collision, thermal all-aluminum frame structure. The battery all-electric vehicle. From its aluminum alloy development of the Jaguar XJ, this is the first
of an EV depends on battery capacity, but the greater the management, and other factors, an aluminum frame can now cells are arranged beneath the flat floor. platform to its body panels, the I-PACE SUV to feature an all-aluminum monocoque
capacity of the loaded batteries, the heavier the total vehicle be regarded as the standard for an EV platform. Aluminum is also used for all the body panels. features aluminum construction. body design.

PHOTO: AUDI/MAZDA/JAGUAR/LAND ROVER/MFi