WEIGHT REDUCTION POTENTIAL OF AUTOMOBILES AND LIGHT TRUCKS: 1979 SUMMARY SOURCE DOCUMENT

The purpose of this report is to provide an assessment of the potential for weight reduction for passenger cars and light trucks (including pickup trucks, vans, and utility vehicles of GVWR up to 8500 pounds) in the 1980 to 2000 model year period. Various aspects of vehicular performance are addressed. Four weight reduction scenarios involving material substitution are presented with increasing technological sophistication. In addition to the baseline data, dominant case assessments for high strength steel, fiber reinforced plastic, aluminum, and hybrid reinforced plastics are provided.

• Corporate Authors:

  Transportation Systems Center

  55 Broadway, Kendall Square
  Cambridge, MA  United States  02142

  National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

  Office of Research and Development, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Authors:
  • Hsia, H S
  • Kidd, J A
• Publication Date: 1980-3

Media Info

• Pagination: 194 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Aluminum; Automobiles; Building materials; Energy conservation; High strength steel; Light trucks; Materials; Materials management; Reinforced plastics; Structural analysis; Technology; Technology assessment; Trucks; Weight
• Uncontrolled Terms: Structural properties
• Old TRIS Terms: Materials replacement; Substitutes; Weight control
• Subject Areas: Energy; Environment; Highways; Materials; Motor Carriers; Vehicles and Equipment; I91: Vehicle Design and Safety;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00314400
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: National Technical Information Service
• Report/Paper Numbers: DOT-TSC-NHTSA-79-54, DOT-HS-805-131
• Files: NTIS, TRIS, USDOT
• Created Date: Aug 27 2002 12:00AM