Evaluation of 6000 Al Alloys for Application in Chassis of Electric Vehicles

Abstract

The market for electric vehicles is growing, seen as the best alternative to replace internal combustion-powered vehicles. Recent developments in electric vehicles have allowed them to reach a level of performance, comfort, and safety that enables them to compete with traditional vehicles. However, several studies are directed towards increasing the autonomy of these vehicles, aiming at weight reduction of structural components. Aluminum alloys are increasingly being chosen to produce structural elements, due to their low density and suitable properties. The 6000 Al alloys are often used in chassis and bodywork. In view of this, this work proposes a comparison of 6000 series alloys, by means of thermodynamic (using Thermo-Calc®) and property computations (Ansys® Granta EduPack and Selector) to select the best alloys considering application properties, processability, and environmental impact. It was observed that the T6 heat-treated alloys presented better mechanical properties, but, on the other hand, they have more impact on the environment. As such, the 6010-T6 alloy was classified as the best alloy regarding performance, the 6061-T4 alloy the best in terms of processability, and the 6009-T4 alloy presented the lowest environmental impact. The 6111-T4 alloy was highlighted as the alloy showing the best balance between the examined properties.

Keywords:
Electric Vehicle; 6000 Alloys; Industry 4.0; Environmental Impact