The price of steel is affected by demand in the manufacturing sector and, with this in mind, it is worth noting that it seems likely US car producers will continue using metals, including steel, for some time to come despite the development of more light-weight materials.
Giving testimony before the National Research Council’s Committee on Fuel Economy of Light-Duty Vehicles in Michigan, industry experts pointed to financial and logistical reasons why advanced steels and aluminium will lead the way in vehicle construction until 2020.The specialists suggested that metal will continue to be the material of choice for the next five to seven years because, while intriguing, carbon-fibre composites remain too costly.
Matthew Zaluzec, Global Materials and Manufacturing Researcher for the Ford Motor Company and a member of the US Automotive Materials Partnership, pointed out that carbon-fibre prices are close to $10 (£6.44) per pound, compared with 40 cents per pound for competitive metals.He added: “Even if someone presented to me a $2 per-pound carbon fibre, the infrastructure to manufacture it at high volumes does not exist.”
Mr Zaluzec went on to state that the US car industry has developed around using metals and to disrupt this process requires a “real leap of faith”. He remarked: “For 2016, you’re going to be driving cars that are made mostly of steel and aluminium. It’s all about the infrastructure. I can buy it now, and I know I’ll be able to buy it five years from now.”Of course, the use of metals in the automotive industry is only one of many factors that impacts on steel prices.
