Next Commodore to have aluminium panels and electric steering

[douglask]

Commodore to get aluminium panels and electric steering as Holden greens large car

19 May 2011

By RON HAMMERTON

Full article:

http://www.goauto.com.au/mellor/mellor.nsf/story2/309C6A1C314B20F1CA25789500195BBC

Note: In the US it's called aluminum and in Australia, aluminium.

HOLDEN will become the first Australian car manufacturer to employ mass-produced aluminium body panels – most likely the bonnet and boot – to snip the fuel consumption of its next-generation VF Commodore due in 2014.

The "light-weighting" exercise, plus a switch to electric-powered steering and new efforts to improve the aerodynamics of the top-selling Australian car, are expected to cut Commodore's thirst by about seven per cent at the cost of at least $160 million.

Asked if the use of aluminium would have a cost impact on Commodore, Mr Devereux said: "We have got a pretty good balance of what the car needs to cost, but we also understand that we want people to enjoy the benefits of a large car, but do it more sustainably and have a smaller footprint."

Mr Devereux conceded that aluminium was a more difficult material than traditional steel for car panels, but said Holden already had a good handle on the technology.

"Aluminium is a pretty hi-tech material to use on body panels," he said. "It does obviously give you significant savings in mass."

"It is difficult to stamp – it isn’t easy. So the shapes are difficult, but we have got a really good engineering team that has it under control."

At least 30 car companies are already using aluminium panels on cars to cut weight, with savings of up to 50 per cent compared on comparable steel panels, although they are mostly applied to high-end vehicles that can cope with the extra cost.

Holden’s American sister companies Cadillac and Chevrolet both already use aluminium panels on some cars, mainly on bonnets on luxury cars such as the Cadillac CTS and Seville and SUV rear hatches on vehicles such as the Chevrolet Tahoe.

Australia's CSIRO is a leading researcher into aluminium technologies, but Mr Devereux declined to say if any third parties were involved in the development project.

Holden’s VF Commodore is expected to remain rear-wheel drive, built on a modified version of the current VE Zeta platform.

While most of the body – including the critical safety cell – will continue to be made of steel, aluminium will be applied to some large surface panels such as the bonnet.

Mr Devereux declined to say if the new Commodore would also mark the introduction of electrified powertrains – such as hybrid technology – saying: "We are really trying to say as little as possible for competitive reasons so we don’t tip our hand."

[Drew Dowdell]

If their using aluminium on a "lowly" Holden.. makes you wonder what might get used on a Cadillac ATS.

[smk4565]

Aluminum body panels is a start, but obviously a lot of cars do that. To really see the weight savings you need the whole frame made of aluminum, which is of course very expensive.

Electric steering saves fuel, but isn't hydraulic steering better?

[Drew Dowdell]

GM has really nailed down electric power steering in terms of feel.

[dwightlooi]

Aluminum is stronger than steel per unit mass, meaning the same tensile strength requirement will use fewer pounds of aluminum. As much as 50% less. However, in practice savings are more moderate because aluminum is also weaker than steel per unit volume, meaning that the same give strength requirement will be able to use thinner steel sheets than aluminum sheets. A good illustration will be an Aluminum Bicycle frame compared to a steel one. The Aluminum frame is lighter, but employs fat tubings whereas the steel bike may be heavier but has far skinnier tubings. This is important because in many structural employments you may NOT be able to go thicker or fatter. The "difficult to stamp" characteristics actually has nothing to do with aluminum per say -- 1 mil aluminum sheets are just as easy to stamp as 1 mil steel. The difficulty stems from the fact that for the same strength, the aluminum panel has to be thicker. This becomes a problem for fenders and doors with complex contours simply because it is hard to stamp a thicker material.

For aluminum to be most effectively employed, the car must be designed from the ground up to use "bulky hollow" structures. The Audi space frames are like that... big, fat, hollow members with thin walls. It is difficult and not particularly effective to retrofit aluminum into a legacy, steel based, design. This is why all these retrofits almost always get localized to the hood or the trunk lid, and practically never extend to the stressed elements in the body structure. In many cases, it is easier and more effective to retrofit high strength steel into a design than it is aluminum. At least you'll be increasing material strength and DECREASING material thickness. Going thin is easier than going thick in stamped structures.

Edited May 25, 2011 by dwightlooi

[loki]

If their using aluminium on a "lowly" Holden.. makes you wonder what might get used on a Cadillac ATS.

latinum? no P.

[Ghost Dog]

Beyond the aluminum, I expect as much as possible will be shared with the new EPII, and Delta platforms. Everything that isn't rear drive specific. From wiper motors,to brakes,switches...... The VF Commodore should have as many parts as possible shared with EPII and Delta II (?) That would lower the vehicle cost, I think.

Edited May 26, 2011 by Ghost Dog

[Camino LS6]

Beyond the aluminum, I expect as much as possible will be shared with the new EPII, and Delta platforms. Everything that isn't rear drive specific. From wiper motors,to brakes,switches...... The VF Commodore should have as many parts as possible shared with EPII and Delta II (?) That would lower the vehicle cost, I think.

Not necessarily.

Holden tends to use local suppliers where it can. North America is too far away for that sort of thing to be efficient.

[dwightlooi]

If their using aluminium on a "lowly" Holden.. makes you wonder what might get used on a Cadillac ATS.

In terms of strength to weight ratio... the next step up will be Titanium-Aluminide followed by Beryllium. Beryllium is really cool. That's for the body...

For the high temperature parts like the turbine housing on a turbo, exhaust valves or the exhaust manifold or down pipe, Yttrium will be really good.

Edited May 27, 2011 by dwightlooi