Several factors are contributing to the growing interest in electric vehicles. Stricter CO2 emission standards are changing the way cars are being made, and consumers are becoming more environmentally conscious at the same time. To produce more fuel efficient vehicles, car makers are looking to advanced materials in lightweighting that can help make vehicles more eco-friendly while being safe and affordable.

The Push to Reduce Carbon Emissions

In the US, the transportation sector produces nearly 30 percent of all global warming emissions, and more than half of those emissions come from passenger vehicles. Between 1990 and 2004, the average fuel economy of new vehicles actually decreased, but since 2005 those numbers have begun to improve, resulting in less greenhouse emissions (see chart below).

Greenhouse gas emissions from the transportation sector remain high but have gone down in recent years. Increased efforts by the auto industry to produce more fuel-efficient cars is helping this trend. (Source: EPA Inventory of US Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks: 1990-2014)

As air pollution gets worse and global temperatures continue to rise, governments, consumers, and car manufacturers have all seen the urgency in creating more fuel-efficient vehicles. However, in order to build electric vehicles, hybrid cars, and even more fuel efficient combustion engine autos, new materials and production methods must be used. Specifically, cars need to be lighter.

Reducing Weight, Reducing CO2 Emissions

The heavier a car is, the more fuel is required to move it. A study from MIT found that for each 100-kg reduction in a car’s body weight, fuel consumption could decrease by about 0.3 L/100 km for cars and about 0.4 L/100 km for light trucks. This not only translates into fewer CO2 emissions but also into cost savings for consumers. The following table provides estimated fuel cost savings for a range of weight reductions. Today’s cars and light trucks weigh between 1,000 to 3,800 kg.

Manufacturers have been testing new materials to use in their cars in order to make the weight reductions necessary for a viable EV. Utilization of alternative materials like aluminum, magnesium, and carbon fiber components are increasing due to their lightweight properties. However, additional financial and environmental costs remain high.

In the past, in order to make steel lighter, sacrifices had to be made in strength and ductility. However, recent innovations in advanced high-strength steels (AHSS) have been able to bridge that gap. To demonstrate the recent advancements made with AHSS, engineers designed the PBC-EV, or POSCO Body Concept-Electric Vehicle, using POSCO GIGA STEEL. The PBC-EV car body was able to achieve a 26.4% reduction in total weight when compared to cars of the same size without any sacrifices in safety or structural integrity. 

The Eco-friendly Life Cycle of AHSS

When measuring greenhouse emissions of cars, one must also look beyond the immediate impact of gasoline consumption and view the material more holistically through a life cycle assessment. The emissions costs related to the extraction and production of automobile materials can be high. However, technological advancements in steel production have been able to reduce CO2 emissions – helping to make it one of the most eco-friendly materials for car makers.

Based on its life cycle assessment, measuring carbon dioxide emissions from production to recycling, POSCO GIGA STEEL performs remarkably well as an eco-friendly material. Steel emits 2.0 to 2.5 kg of carbon emissions when producing 1 kg of material while aluminum emits 11 to 12.6 kg when producing the same amount. Even after production, cumulative greenhouse gas emissions of vehicles made with steel is 10% lower when looking at the full life cycle.

Lastly, steel remains the most recycled materials on the planet, and automobiles maintain a recycling rate of nearly 100 percent. Almost all steel products contain recycled steel as steel scrap is a necessary ingredient when producing new steel.

Advancements in AHSS have allowed the auto industry to move beyond the barriers that have held it back in the past. As consumers demand more fuel efficient driving options and as governments around the world impose more strict emissions standards, material advancements in steel will become more critical. It is the breakthroughs in steel technology like these that are helping to bring lightweight, fuel-efficient cars to market.

Throughout April and May, The Steel Wire is exploring trends in the auto industry and how POSCO’s innovations in automotive steel is leading the way toward lighter, stronger, and more affordable cars.

Advancements in electric cars, autonomous driving, car connectivity, and AI were on full display. Nissan and BMW unveiled plans to use Microsoft’s personal assistant technology, Cortana, with their cars. Honda became the first major manufacturer to develop an electric concept car specifically designed for ride-sharing. And as for self-driving cars – Nissan announced it would bring autonomous driving support to its Leaf electric car, Hyundai introduced one that would be affordable enough for the masses, and Audi announced a partnership with Nvidia to bring self-driving cars to market by 2020.

With all of the focus on electric cars and autonomous driving, it is easy to forget the basic building blocks that are needed to make these cars a reality. As Toyota Research Institute CEO Gill Pratt noted at CES, “Historically humans have zero tolerance of death by machine,” and for further adoption by the public, safety must be reinforced in autonomous vehicles. Increased safety in cars often goes hand-in-hand with heavier materials that can withstand more pressure. However, the push for more fuel efficient electric cars is pushing the industry to build with more lightweight components.

Car manufacturers are working to find the right balance between strength, weight, and price. The EPA has estimated that reducing a vehicle’s weight by 45kg (100lbs) will improve fuel efficiency by 1%, and while more lightweight materials do exist in aluminum and magnesium, they are often too cost-prohibitive for general use.

POSCO Body Concept Electric Vehicle

POSCO’s PBC-EV is both safe and lightweight

On this front, POSCO has been working to develop solutions for car manufacturers. The PBC-EV, or POSCO Body Concept Electric Vehicle, is one product of that research as POSCO sought to create a lighter car with the same strength and safety that is expected in today’s modern car market. POSCO focused on two main points when developing this lightweight car body. The first was the application of a combination of POSCO’s most advanced steels including TRIP, PosMCT950E, and PosMCT980B. Secondly, POSCO optimized existing construction methods and worked to introduce new techniques in order to both lighten and strengthen the body of the automobile. With its PBC-EV, POSCO was able to reduce weight by 26% while still maintaining the highest levels of body strength.

Magnesium technology

POSCO materials were used in the design of Renault’s EOLAB concept car

Many in the auto industry are setting their sights on magnesium as the future of car manufacturing. Magnesium can be easily molded and it is both lightweight and strong. Due to its high price, car makers have not fully embraced the move to magnesium yet, but POSCO is already preparing for this probability. Last month, POSCO’s World Premium Materials (WPM) – Magnesium Business Division organized a seminar with industry experts and automotive engineering students to discuss the future of magnesium in car manufacturing. Experts in magnesium, molding, bonding, and surface treatment were invited to speak about the application of magnesium technology in automobiles and students gave presentations on their own experience developing race cars.

Even though cars have been around since the late 19^th century, new ideas continue to force the industry to adapt and change. And whether it is optimizing existing manufacturing processes or working to utilize technologies for the future, POSCO remains committed to finding innovations in the auto industry.

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Cross-Industry Collaboration for Unsurpassed Innovation
At CES earlier this month in Las Vegas, the world saw how traditional and non-traditional technology industries partnered and collaborated on ways to do business and address global issues, from making roads safer to preventing illnesses. These cross-industry collaborations are becoming increasingly common and can be structured to meet multiple objectives while spanning multiple industries.
The trend of cross-market relationships is also emerging in the steel and automotive industries, specifically in the areas of lightweight vehicles, the latest innovations in steel applications and eco-design for automotive materials. Recognizing this, POSCO is making multiple efforts to step out of the oft-confining boundaries of industry and expand its services to other markets.
Among these efforts are collaborations within POSCO Group. POSCO TMC, for example, is partnering with the Group as a specialist of motor cores for electric automobiles while POSCO ChemTech is affiliated with a company specializing in battery materials. Such collaborations are exactly in line with POSCO’s policy of building a sturdy total solution-based revenue mode.
“POSCO is no longer simply a steel provider. It is a ‘total solution partner’ that works from A to Z for the complete production of automobiles,” noted POSCO executive director Wonki Kim at POSCO’s press conference at the Cobo Center in Detroit. “It will play the role of being the best assistant in reaching eco-friendly, lightweight vehicles while providing values that take a great step forward through utilization techniques such as figuration and welding based on high-quality materials as well as commercial support.”

Paving the Road to Sustainability with Steel Sheets

POSCO’s technology on display at NAIAS demonstrates the steelmaker’s unique raw materials for future eco-friendly automobiles, such as hot press forming (HPF) and PosM Steel.
The latter of the two is considered a “dream material,” as its intensity is five times stronger than other steel in terms of machinability, while it can withstand up to 100 kilograms per square millimeter. Therefore, it proves excellent in impact absorption and increased safety—one major focus regarding future automobiles.

About 30 high-strength and lightweight steel products, including POSCO’s original products, are being exhibited at this year’s NAIAS. POSCO plans to attract the attention of global automobile companies by presenting its auto body made with the world’s best car sheets.

Likewise, POSCO aims to address global automakers’ purchasing needs at NAIAS by revealing the most ideal steel plates for automobiles. The weight of this steel itself is about 26.4 percent lighter compared to mid-sized vehicles and has been verified in terms of safety. It also gives off fewer emissions of carbon dioxide compared to electric vehicles made with one-third the gravity of aluminum in comparison to iron.

POSCO “Driving” the Auto Industry Since 2010
Despite POSCO’s recent efforts to help construct the automobiles of the future, the company has been pursuing automotive endeavors for a while now. In fact, POSCO has been working toward the successful development of a sustainable electric car body ever since 2010. In just two years, POSCO launched PBC-EV, a safe, lightweight car body developed especially for electric vehicles. The weight of the PBC-EV was reduced by 26 percent compared to cars of the same size with internal combustion engines.
In addition, the car body possessed high-strength properties and received a score of five stars from EURONCAP and achieved a “Good” safety rating from IIHS. The development of PBC-EV was a result of applying the world-class Ultra High Strength Steel (UHSS) to over 40 percent of the material and optimizing advanced construction methods such as HPF (Hot Press Forming).
Other milestones were reached in 2012 when POSCO signed a joint development agreement with Renault-Samsung, and again in 2014 when the company joined in on the EOLAB production project with the French automaker. The revolutionary concept car boasts a super-efficient fuel economy of 100 kilometers per liter, thanks to its extraordinary lightness—a key to the development of future cars—enabled by the use of its state-of-the-art, high-strength steel and special magnesium panels developed in conjunction with POSCO.
Then, last year, the steelmaker held the POSCO Automobile Solution Seminar, which was attended by over 250 representatives from automotive part manufacturers, universities, R&D institutions and finished carmakers including GM Korea, Ssangyong Motors, and Renault Samsung Motors. The seminar focused on promoting POSCO’s latest technologies for automobile solutions and featured two stripped down vehicles that showcased the latest automotive design trends and materials.
Now, in 2016, POSCO continues to be at the forefront of the development of the auto industry of the future. Although it’s impossible to know for sure what the future of the automobile market will look like, one thing is for certain, according to POSCO’s managing director, Wonki Kim: “Steel is still the ‘Best Solution’ and it will continue to be in the future.”

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Today, POSCO global blog will try to explain the basics of electric vehicles.

Pictured here: POSCO exhibit set up at The 1^st International Electric Vehicle Expo held in Jeju

What is an Electric Vehicle?

An electric car is basically an automobile that is powered by electricity. It is powered by an electric motor that runs on a rechargeable battery as opposed to a gasoline engine. Electric vehicles has gained widespread recognition predominantly because it is the environmentally-friendly alternative to gas guzzling automobiles.

Why should you care about Electric Vehicles?

Pictured here: EV on display that promotes ‘zero emissions’

 You might have heard the word ‘electric car’ lately, but might not understand what the direct benefits are. The major reasons that electric cars is top-of-mind for the auto industry and society as whole are for the following reasons:

1)      Less pollution: Electric cars are an eco-friendly alternative to gasoline powered cars as they create less pollution

2)      Cost effective in the long-run: Electric cars run on electricity so you can save up on annual car fuel costs and expensive maintenance related to oil changes, fuel filters, etc.

3)      Reduces fuel dependency: Electric vehicles can be powered by electricity produced from multiple energy sources including wind, solar, hydro, nuclear, biofuel, and fossil fuel sources. Therefore, electric vehicles have the potential to support economies while also reducing dependence on imported oil.

4)      Better Sound Quality: Electric cars may be difficult to differentiate from regular cars from the outside, but electric motors provide quiet and very smooth operation.

Challenges for Electric Vehicles

That is not to say that electric vehicles face no challenges. Driving range is a concern for consumers as gasoline vehicles can go longer distances. Recharge time and overall bulk are concerns also. Companies, including POSCO, are continuously investing time and energy to improve technologies and materials for electric vehicles.

Pictured here: Entrance to 1^st International Electric Vehicle Expo in Jeju

During March 15 through 21, the 1^st International Electric Vehicle Expo was held in Jeju Island, south of the Korean peninsula. More than 40 companies attended the event and consumers were able to see firsthand electric cars including Kia’s Ray EV, Reno Samsung SM3 Z.E., Chevrolet Spark EV, Kia Soul EV and BMW i3. Nearly 50,000 visitors came to the expo where POSCO Group showcased its innovative electric car technology.

Pictured here: POSCO exhibit at 1^st International Electric Vehicle Expo in Jeju

Of the participating companies, POSCO was the only company to offer a total solution that addresses materials, rechargeable infra and service. POSCO was the first steelmaking company to develop a body for an electric vehicle concept, solidifying its position at the forefront of electric vehicles.

POSCO Group’s <Total Solution>

Pictured here: POSCO executives gathered at the Expo in Jeju

POSCO Group companies including POSCO ICT, POSCO ChemTech, POSCO TMC and POSCO ESM were all present for the expo. As the first steelmaker to create the concept body for electric vehicles, POSCO proved that its steel solutions continue to provide value for the future of electric vehicles. The exhibit was divided into three parts consisting of rechargeable infra needed by electric vehicles, service and materials.

POSCO ICT’s electric vehicle rechargeable infra solution can be applied to all types of vehicles. Moreover, users are able to recharge without having to carry an external cable.

Pictured here: Chevrolet electric vehicle on exhibit being recharged

In addition, in order to improve the user experience, POSCO is offering a variety of convenient services. POSCO ICT has set up charging infrastructure around Jeju so travelers do not need to worry about lack of electricity. Beginning this June, POSCO ICT will form a partnership with E-Mart·BMW to offer easier charging services anytime, anywhere. POSCO ICT will also be forming a partnership with Seoul car sharing services to provide rechargeable infra.

POSCO also highlighted its commitment towards Nd magnets. Nd magnet, which is made of a rare earth metal, is an integral part of electric vehicle motors. They are currently imported from Japan and China. The Nd magnets that POSCO supplies can be applied to domestic electric vehicles and can reduce the dependency on imports.

State-of-the-Art Technology for Future Electric Vehicles

Pictured here: Compact-sized electric vehicle

Compared to internal combustion engines, electric vehicles are still trailing behind in terms of mileage and battery weight. Therefore a variety of new technologies are being applied for lightweight car bodies. For this reason, new materials beyond the previous aluminum and steel are being introduced into the development of electric vehicles.

POSCO is the first steelmaker to develop steel that is optimized for electric vehicle bodies. PBC-EV (POSCO Body Concept-Electric Vehicle) is the car body that was developed to showcase the state-of-the-art technology POSCO has recently developed for future electric vehicles.

PBC-EV has set the standard for EV steel solutions. It is made from cutting-edge steel and the latest components technology for an integrated solution that has reduced weight of 26.4% compared to previous car bodies.

Pictured here: Regular-sized electric vehicle made by Renault Samsung Motors

The Future of Electric Vehicles

As companies continue to improve and build upon existing electric vehicle technologies, the growing prominence of electric vehicles is highly probable. As an environmentally-conscious company, POSCO hopes to see more growth in this field. Would you buy an electric vehicle?