Light-weight aluminium cars expected to curb emissions in Europe

After prolonged attempts to bring down the incessant rise of carbon dioxide discharge in the European transport sector, Patrik Ragnarsson of European Aluminium trade body expects the lighter aluminium-built cars to curb the emissions, said himself.

While other European Industrial sectors have been significantly reducing CO2 discharge, transport sector kept failing to curb the emissions, said the EA's Senior Manager of Automotive and Transport division at the S&P Global Platts European Aluminum conference in Dusseldorf, Germany.

According to EA data, transport sector in Europe leads in CO2 discharge, with emissions 25 per cent higher than 1990 levels.

Ragnarsson held the mileage surge on roads and shift from diesel to petrol responsible for the continued rise of emissions. Now, the action is taken to minimise the emissions by 60 per cent of 1990 levels by introducing more and more low or zero emissions vehicles and investing in alternative fuel infrastructure.

Besides curbing emissions, aluminium-built cars are expected to increase vehicles’ efficiency and reduce the car weight, said Ragnarsson by further adding, "every gram of CO2 saved can make a difference. For example, every 100 kg of weight reduced on a vehicle, can save around 8 g of C02/km."

He further said, “aluminum had many other applications when it came to the electric vehicle revolution, with its anti-corrosive abilities and durability making the metal an ideal tool in EV infrastructure for charging stations, cabling and in the cooling and protection of batteries.”