Vehicle mix and stricter regulations add weight to importance of lightweighting

The global automotive lightweight materials market is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8.1% from 2014 to 2019, according to a new report from global research company Research and Markets.

The report suggests that the key drivers of this market will be government regulations on fuel economy and emission controls, namely the Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) 2025 mandated target of 54.5mpg for light-duty passenger cars. These factors continue to apply pressure on both suppliers and OEMs, and -traditional materials like high strength steel are seeing competition from what many suppliers are referring to as new ‘exotic’ materials.