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Review of Technical Literature and Trends Related to Automobile Mass-Reduction Technology

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  • Lutsey, Nicholas

Abstract

Reducing the size, or mass, of automobiles is an important technology objective for fuel economy, carbon dioxide emissions, and vehicle performance. The authors review ongoing automotive trends for vehicle mass optimization to better characterize where automobile size is headed. They find that automakers are using a variety of advanced materials in new vehicle models such as aluminum, magnesium and plastic. Several studies, along with automakers’ announcements, suggest mass-reduction technology could achieve up to a 20 percent decrease in the mass of new vehicles in the 2015-1010 timeframe. Greater potential for future CO2 emission reductions, however, requires commercialization of more advanced mass-optimization technologies that go beyond near-term incremental approaches, and could yield mass reductions of 30 percent or greater. The authors suggest that commitments by automakers to deploy mass-reduction technology offer several policy implications.

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  • Lutsey, Nicholas, 2010. "Review of Technical Literature and Trends Related to Automobile Mass-Reduction Technology," Institute of Transportation Studies, Working Paper Series qt85p4x0jn, Institute of Transportation Studies, UC Davis.
    • Handle: RePEc:cdl:itsdav:qt85p4x0jn
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    1. Knittel, Christopher R., 2009. "Automobiles on Steroids: Product Attribute Trade-O�s and Technological Progress in the Automobile Sector," Institute of Transportation Studies, Working Paper Series qt2nt1r1x1, Institute of Transportation Studies, UC Davis.
    2. Christopher R. Knittel, 2011. "Automobiles on Steroids: Product Attribute Trade-Offs and Technological Progress in the Automobile Sector," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 101(7), pages 3368-3399, December.
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    1. Celalettin Yuce & Fatih Karpat & Nurettin Yavuz & Gökhan Sendeniz, 2014. "A Case Study: Designing for Sustainability and Reliability in an Automotive Seat Structure," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 6(7), pages 1-24, July.
    2. Lewis, Anne Marie & Kelly, Jarod C. & Keoleian, Gregory A., 2014. "Vehicle lightweighting vs. electrification: Life cycle energy and GHG emissions results for diverse powertrain vehicles," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 126(C), pages 13-20.
    3. Rootzén, Johan & Johnsson, Filip, 2016. "Paying the full price of steel – Perspectives on the cost of reducing carbon dioxide emissions from the steel industry," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 98(C), pages 459-469.
    4. Zhou, Wenbin & Cleaver, Christopher J. & Dunant, Cyrille F. & Allwood, Julian M. & Lin, Jianguo, 2023. "Cost, range anxiety and future electricity supply: A review of how today's technology trends may influence the future uptake of BEVs," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 173(C).
    5. Giulia Sandrini & Marco Gadola & Daniel Chindamo & Andrea Candela & Paolo Magri, 2023. "Exploring the Impact of Vehicle Lightweighting in Terms of Energy Consumption: Analysis and Simulation," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(13), pages 1-31, July.
    6. Mayyas, Ahmad T. & Qattawi, Ala & Mayyas, Abdel Raouf & Omar, Mohammed A., 2012. "Life cycle assessment-based selection for a sustainable lightweight body-in-white design," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 39(1), pages 412-425.
    7. Mayyas, Ahmad & Qattawi, Ala & Omar, Mohammed & Shan, Dongri, 2012. "Design for sustainability in automotive industry: A comprehensive review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 16(4), pages 1845-1862.
    8. Triantafyllopoulos, Georgios & Kontses, Anastasios & Tsokolis, Dimitrios & Ntziachristos, Leonidas & Samaras, Zissis, 2017. "Potential of energy efficiency technologies in reducing vehicle consumption under type approval and real world conditions," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 140(P1), pages 365-373.

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