The sustainability of our environment and the energy we use to
support society are dominant concerns across the globe. Rising
concentrations of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and shrinking
availability of petroleum from secure sources have led to
focused efforts on policy and technology solutions. Against this
larger backdrop, the global automotive fleet of roughly 700
million cars represents a significant source of CO2. By some
estimates, 14 percent of global CO2 emissions are from
transportation—with cars making up the lion's share. As such,
reducing vehicle fuel consumption and related tailpipe emissions
are vital to combating climate change and lessening our reliance
on foreign oil. The aluminum content in cars and light trucks
reached an all-time high of 8.6 percent of average vehicle curb
weight in 2009, continuing almost 40 years of uninterrupted
growth in North America. The main driver behind aluminum's
success is the environmental advantages the high-strength, low-
weight, infinitely recyclable meta