BRAZILIAN ALUMINUM - solutions for sustainable living

BRAZILIAN ALUMINUM SOLUTIONS FOR SUSTAINABLE LIVING 42 ALUMINUM AND SUSTAINABLE LIVING SOLUTIONS Per capita consumption in the Transport Market – 2015 (kg/inhabitant/year) Aluminum in electric and hybrid vehicles Electric and hybrid vehicles are here to stay. Silent and emission-free, that type of vehicles has begun to be part of the solutions for a low-carbon future. Combined factors have driven the growth in such market. They are: • Being aware of the role of cities in climate change and the policies that set targets for emissions; • Laws and energy efficiency programs for vehicles, such as the Proconve and the Inovar-Auto, which the government launched in 2012; • Bidding guidelines and sustainable purchases by the public bodies, which are paramount for city buses, including the BRTs (Bus Rapid Transit) , as an example; • The moves towards smart cities and sustainable mobility; • Policies encouraging electric vehicles and the advent of their manufacturing in Brazil. Presently, such vehicles account for about 0.2% of the global fleet in operation, though all projections have pointed to a huge growth in the coming years. An example has been the recentannouncementbyDutch,FrenchandBritishbodiestowardsbanningthemarketingof gasolineanddieselmodelsinthecomingdecades.InNorway,37%ofnewvehiclesareelectric. On the other hand, achieving such a growth involves a few challenges that are: • The concern on where electric power comes from. Brazil has been favored by the fact that its energy predominantly results from water sources. Even when they are compared to ethanol-driven vehicles, electric vehicles are more advantageous. • Thehighcostofbatteries,whichcanimpactin50%ofthetotalvehiclecost,energy density i.e. the amount of energy stored per volume, their weight, life cycle and reuse. Surveys made towards getting the best performance are still in course, havingaluminumasadecisiveallytoovercomethosechallenges,sinceitprovides lighter and resistant structures for vehicles. Using aluminum in vehicle’s body structure, closing panels (e.g. doors, fenders, luggage rack, roof and hood), and battery housing increases rigidity and lowers the weight of the vehicle, allowing smaller batteries, greater self-reliance and lower acquisition costs. Japan 13.23 Mexico 14.00 12.00 10.00 8.00 6.00 4.00 2.00 0 Source: International entities and ABAL’s calculation Europe 6.95 Canada/USA 11.70 2.10 Brazil 1.03 Argentina 1.31