How Advanced High-strength Steel Will Help Sustainable Future Transportation.
The future of transportation in a fast-paced and more compassionate world is Electric Motor Vehicles (EMV). Advanced High-Strength Steel (AHSS) is designed to meet low-weight requirements in the automotive industry by combining high-tensile strength, ductility, chemical composition, and microstructures.
In the last two decades, the steel industry has developed different alloying and processing combinations to produce steel microstructures providing higher strength for reduced steel section size and weight. Although AHSS is not significantly lighter than traditional steel, its strength enables automakers to manufacture sustainable future transportation.
Improved Fuel Efficiency
The American Iron and Steel Institute claims that AHSS improves fuel economy and reduces tailpipe emissions. AHSS reduces a vehicle’s structural weight by 25% and reduces CO2 emissions by up to 15% over its lifetime.
Reduced Greenhouse Gas Emissions
A significant reduction in greenhouse gas emissions can is possible using AHSS for automotive ‘lightness’. Over the lifetime of a five-passenger family car, AHSS can reduce the overall vehicle weight by almost 600 pounds, which translates to four tons of greenhouse gas reduction.
Recyclabilty
Steel companies recycle more than 14 million tons of steel from junk cars, almost enough to build nearly 13 million new ones. AHSS is completely recyclable.
Safety
Passenger safety cage components in vehicles, including sill reinforcements, A-pillars, B-pillars, side impact beams, waistline reinforcements, bumpers, and roof bows, have AHSS. Special metallic coatings to resist corrosion also increases safety. Some provide high energy absorption in frontal and rear crumple zones, while others resist side and roof impacts.
