Life cycle energy demand and greenhouse gas savings from pickup truck lightweighting

Vehicle mass reduction is a critical strategy for vehicle manufacturers as they work to meet stringent fuel economy and greenhouse gas standards. Vehicle lightweighting is often accomplished by utilizing alternative materials... [ view full abstract ]

Vehicle mass reduction is a critical strategy for vehicle manufacturers as they work to meet stringent fuel economy and greenhouse gas standards. Vehicle lightweighting is often accomplished by utilizing alternative materials such as aluminum, magnesium, or carbon fiber that are more energy and greenhouse gas (GHG) intensive to produce relative to conventional steel in the vehicle design

A recent redesign of Ford’s F-150 pickup truck is a notable example of lightweighting in a mass market vehicle. Compared to the previous truck model, the extensive substitution of aluminum for steel in the vehicle body structure and enclosures contributed significantly to a weight reduction of up to 700 lb. Using the GREET model along with specific material composition and fuel efficiency data, a comparison of the life cycle energy demand and greenhouse gas emissions for the current and prior F-150 models was conducted. Sensitivity analysis further explored the effect of different steel and aluminum production parameters on cradle-to-gate impacts.

The analysis showed that the greater energy and GHG production burdens associated with the increased use of aluminum were small relative to the lower use phase burdens resulting from improved fuel economy.  A closed loop recycling process for aluminum stamping scrap further reduced the cradle-to-gate impact of the newer model.

This analysis is an important empirical case study of vehicle lightweighting.  Some have expressed concerns regarding the increased use of aluminum in vehicle manufacturing due to fears of shifting burdens from the use phase to production phases. The result of this work shows the overall energy and GHG performance of this vehicle improved significantly.