The next decade will be the most crucial and opportune for magnesium in the automotive industry

With right technological advancements in magnesium manufacturing processes, newer alloys, and a more wider production footprint globally, we may see higher application of magnesium in vehicles

For OEMs, lightweighting is one of the most value-for-money solutions to achieve better fuel efficiency and lower emissions in a vehicle. There is almost no component in a vehicle which is not under the scanner for lightweighting―right from seats, chassis, powertrain parts, the entire body-in-white (BIW), to even the smallest of fasteners. The strategy, however, vary significantly by component and automaker. While some are looking at replacing a component with a lighter alternative, like adhesives in place of fasteners, some see value in making the existing components lighter by using advanced materials.