DYNA JOURNAL ENGINEERING

In combustion vehicles, those corresponding to the engine, gearbox/clutch, transmission or suspension/braking and even, depending on the model, the battery containers, electronic and ignition systems, ventilation, air conditioning, etc., and even some mechanical elements implanted in the bodywork, may contain castings.

The electric car completely dispenses with some of these components, although others remain identical. On average, a combustion vehicle involves in the movement system about 177 parts of all kinds, many of them cast. The electric one, only 47, of which most are not cast. The German magazine GIESSEREI has studied the influence that a future with purely electric automobiles can have, going through the transitory stage of hybrid automobiles and the conclusions have been presented referring to three types of vehicle, a small utility vehicle, a medium sized one and a larger one. It has not been carried out with top-of-the-range cars due to the fact that they represent a minority proportion.

In a small utility vehicle, machined castings represent an average of 39.1 kg, there is no point in creating hybrids and its electric models have only 25.6 kg of castings (35% reduction). Those of medium size to combustion contain 53.4 kg, hybrids 68 kg and electric 25.6 kg (52% reduction). The bigger ones have 66.2 kg for combustion, 75.4 kg for hybrids and 35.8 kg for electrics (46% reduction). As a weighted average, the automotive industry can go from a 20.7% increase in castings for hybrid engines, which incorporate both propulsion systems, to a final reduction of 44.3% in a world with only electric cars.

This may seem small, given the modest weights of castings for each unit, but we must bear in mind that there is a slight increase due to the so-called "creces" of machining in the raw cast parts and that in the world are manufactured almost 100 million vehicles (passenger cars and commercial). Spain has more than 2 million and its castings industry, in a large proportion oriented to the automotive industry due to its high added value, with production plants inside and outside the country, has as customers many multinational brands that are beginning to turn to the electric vehicle. The forecasts are that in the short term (2025) the combustion vehicle will account for 71% of production, the hybrid 21% and pure electric 8%, which may mean a temporary increase in demand for castings. The definitive reduction will come when battery technology and charging possibilities make the combustion engines of motor vehicles disappear altogether.