Overview of DOE'S programs on aluminum and magnesium for automotive application

The U.S. Department of Energy will present an update and review of its programs in aluminum and magnesium for automotive and heavy-duty vehicle applications. While the main programs focused on vehicle materials are in the Office of Transportation Technologies, contributing efforts will be described in the DOE Office of Industrial Technologies and the DOE Office of Energy Research. The presentation will discuss materials for body/chassis and power train, and will highlight the considerable synergy among the efforts. The bulk of the effort is on castings, sheet, and alloys with a smaller focus on metal matrix composites. Cost reduction and energy savings are the overriding themes of the programs.