Alumobility, a non-profit organization focused on solutions to advance the adoption of aluminum automotive body sheet, announced the results of its technical study demonstrating affordable lightweighting through the proposed conversion of a mass-produced C-segment SUV passenger door from steel to aluminum.

The results of the study show the new aluminum door design meets or exceeds safety and other customer performance criteria to reach 45% weight savings. While the study focuses on a mid-size SUV door, Alumobility expects comparable results for other door architectures.

As automakers continuously look for ways to lightweight vehicles at a competitive cost throughout the manufacturing process, adoption of aluminum doors has increased exponentially. Over the last two decades, adoption has grown from use in the premium segment to millions of aluminum doors produced annually, primarily in the booming SUV, pick-up truck and battery electric vehicle markets.

The next-generation aluminum door design can offer greater value given the lower gauges and higher strength levels through new innovative aluminum alloys that are now available. These lightweight doors would also be highly recyclable at a vehicle’s end of life, which contributes to overall sustainability, reducing CO₂ emissions and enabling a more circular economy.

Additional key results of the study include:

• Recent advancements in material utilization, processing, and joining allow aluminum doors to be more cost-effective than ever. With innovative joining techniques, fewer parts may be required, further reducing complexity and assembly time.

• New aluminum door design enables breakthrough performance via better formability and higher strength.

• Customer targets for visual obstruction, ingress-egress, and frame stiffness are maintained.

Alumobility is a global ecosystem of the leading aluminum and enabling downstream technology partners committed to providing innovative solutions that drive value for automakers and consumers.