Not only in the United States but internationally, automakers are being required to decrease the greenhouse gas emissions of their vehicles while also increasing their fuel efficiency. With more automakers turning to advanced power train technologies such as hybrids and electric-powered vehicles, the steel industry is scrambling to maintain its market share as car designers look for lighter-weight materials to help them compensate for the heavy batteries and fuel cells.

A global coalition of steel companies is now cooperating on the Future Steel Vehicle (FSV) research program to develop a safe, lightweight steel body for future cars and trucks that reduces emissions over the entire life cycle of the vehicle. An earlier initiative, the Ultralight Steel Auto Body Advanced Vehicle Concept (ULSAB-AVC) program, achieved a 25 percent mass savings vs. conventional auto body construction using advanced high-strength steels (AHSS). The FSV’s new goal is to achieve an additional 10 percent mass saving.

Emission savings will be based on a total lifecycle assessment of the vehicle, which involves more than just tailpipe emissions. It also will take into account the total carbon footprint of the complete fuel cycle, the complete vehicle manufacturing cycle and end-of-life recycling.
Producers of lightweight alloys such as aluminum and titanium have taken some automotive market share from steel, but at a significantly higher cost per vehicle. The steel industry has slowed those losses by developing lighter and stronger AHSS grades.

High-strength steels being considered for the Future Steel Vehicle program are more advanced than those used in ULSAB-AVC. About 90 percent of the body structure in the ULSAB-AVC program was composed of AHSS, with strengths as high as 800 to 1,000 megapascals (MPa). The FSV program will use steels up to 1,500 MPa. A decade ago the highest strength steels measured only 270 MPa.