Asian automakers hesitate to embrace aluminum

Asian automakers are said to be under less pressure to prioritize weight savings because of less-stringent efficiency requirements in their home markets, according to Charlie Durant of metals consultancy firm CRU.

“The relative cost of aluminium sheet is seen as a prohibitive factor, so it’s in regions with the most stringent legislation … that this material will be most widely adopted,” he told Reuters.

Asian automakers are also said to be focusing on the latest high-strength steels to bring modest weight savings without the enormous costs associated with revamping factories for aluminum.

Hyundai’s Genesis has been cited as the most glaring example of Hyundai-Kia’s aluminum apprehension. The previous-generation model integrated an aluminum hood, suggesting its predecessor might have continued the trend, however the latest model arrived with a steel plate over the engine and nearly 400 extra pounds added to the curb weight.

The analyst reports do not suggest Asian automakers won’t eventually follow suit and add more aluminum, but they are not believed to be in a rush to release aluminum-clad models merely to keep up with their US and German rivals.