LITHIUM POWERED VEHICLE WITH DURALUMIN CHASSIS
Ariel Designs
Executive Summary:
Using lightweight magnesium (Mg) alloys, aluminum (Al) alloys, and carbon fiber to
replace the traditional steel components can drastically reduce their weight and fuel
consumption. We propose to create an EV vehicle with a chassis made out of Duralumin and
other parts made out of carbon fiber reinforced plastic. In addition, utilizing aluminum alloys for
the vehicle’s body and chassis could reduce 50% of its curb weight.
Materials:
Duralumin is known for its lightness and its wide use in aircraft structures. Also, Dural is
much lighter than steel and has an incredible strength, increasing the safety of the passengers and
reducing the damage from an impact. In addition, it would be ideal to use carbon fiber for the
exterior and structure of the vehicle; however, I believe that this would bring much more
expenses to production. Hence, Duralumin should be used together with carbon fiber. Duralumin
is aluminum fused with copper (1.3%), manganese (1%), and magnesium (2.8%). The BMW i8
was designed with carbon fiber reinforced plastic on an aluminum chassis. These materials
would give the Lithium powered EV concept a curb weight of 2550 pounds.
Production/Manufacturing:
Currently, Dural is used as the foundation of the development of aircraft alloys. Hence;
the production facilities that create parts of airplanes can also be utilized to produce the structure
(chassis) and some body parts of the cars made out of Duralumin. Later, then these parts would
be installed/assembled on the car using traditional manufacturing methods.
Passenger Safety:
Duralumin can absorb twice as much crash energy as steel. In addition, since Dural
contains most properties from aluminum it has the ability to fold during a crash, which prevents
damage to the occupants. In other words, the car structure absorbs the impact from another
vehicles rather than the passengers. This energy abortion concentrates on certain critical parts
from the car such as the front and the sides, dramatically increasing the passenger’s safety.
Interior
This vehicle has with plenty of volume in the interior to have a maximum of five occupants.
Lithium Batteries
Given the increasing scarcity of oil and the increase of pollution to the environment, it’s clear
that a noxious system like the popular internal combustion engine found in most cars is
somewhat ancient. The drastic climate changes in the 21st century are evidence of the necessity
to take action and eliminate the harmful gases released to the atmosphere in order to prevent
global warming.
Making use of electric vehicles, thereby minimizing the use of the internal combustion engine,
could be a good way to accomplish that.
Unlike conventional cars, these vehicles are battery-powered, meaning their levels of CO2
emissions are lower. Holistic use of electric cars could cut harmful emissions in half by 2050.
Furthermore, electric vehicles don’t need a lot of the components that typical gas cars have, like
transmissions, filters and mufflers, potentially reducing weight and maintenance costs.
In 1990, the Sony Corporation manufactured the first commercially rechargeable Lithium Cobalt
Oxide (LiCoO2) battery. Nowadays, another type of lithium battery, LiMn2O2 battery is more
common because it is less toxic and cheaper than Lithium Manganese
Oxide (LiMn2O4). Additionally, LiMn2O2 batteries weigh less than other types, which leads an
electric car equipped with this battery type to have improved traction and performance.
I have a firm belief that they can become the vehicle of the future. Several researchers have even
indicated that there is no lithium scarcity in the future and that most of the content from lithium
batteries is recyclable. Electric vehicle technology will change as research and development
brings down costs, eradicates range anxiety, and really make EVs able to compete with the
internal combustion engine vehicles.