Steel - a universal material of the future

Although carbon-reinforced plastics are a little lighter and stronger than steel, this is clearly reflected in their price. Even after several decades of research and development, carbon materials are still so expensive that a mid-range car made from these materials would be unaffordable for most people - a Formula One racing car costs several million euros not only because of its drive system.

Steel, on the other hand, is much cheaper - with almost comparable values of weight and strength - and thus guarantees our right to mobility. If you then keep in mind how easily our material can be formed, processed and also painted, this point clearly goes to the steel industry.

Another essential aspect for the car of tomorrow is its environmental compatibility - and here too, steel crosses the finish line as the clear winner. Because contrary to what is still prevalent in many minds, the ecological balance of our steel industry is quite impressive.

First of all, the production and further processing of steel are much more energy-efficient than the extraction of aluminum, for example. Because the element is not simply extracted from the earth but must first be extracted from the mineral bauxite in a complex process. By way of comparison: around 5,000 kilowatt hours of energy are required to manufacture one ton of crude steel - and this number has been falling for years. The same amount of aluminum accounts for 15,000 kilowatt hours.

But that's not all, because when it comes to recycling, steel is clearly one step ahead. Because our material is 100 percent recyclable. Carbon fibers, on the other hand, are still mixed with a high proportion of plastics in automotive engineering and can hardly be recycled. So, if you as a vehicle manufacturer have the choice between a material from which new machines, vehicles and objects of daily use can be manufactured effortlessly and one that ends up in a landfill after its death and ruins our planet in the long term, what would you choose?

Finally, steel is a material that is constantly being developed. Engineers around the world are impressed by new high and ultra-high strength grades with their low weight and high tensile strength. According to a study by the Handelsblatt Research Institute, these new materials can reduce the weight of a car by 25 to 39 percent and thus save 3 to 4.5 tons of greenhouse gases over its entire service life.

Steel also makes the motors of electric cars lighter and therefore more efficient. The electrical strips used there currently weigh up to 100 kilograms. Advances in forming and alloying processes, however, continue to reduce this value and thus also make a significant contribution to climate-friendly mobility.

If there is a collision, however, thoughts about economy and sustainability are quickly thrown overboard. At such a moment, the only thing that counts is protecting the vehicle occupants. But here, too, our material can shine: The latest types of steel are three to four times more tensile than conventional steels and are therefore particularly suitable for all safety-relevant components of a car.

This is especially true for e-cars, because there the battery block must be optimally protected. Otherwise, it can happen all too quickly in a crash that poisonous materials escape, or the battery goes up in flames. Therefore, battery boxes in modern electric vehicles are also made exclusively from steel. Because unlike titanium, aluminum or fiber composites, our material is particularly resistant to deformation.

Game, set and match for the classic steel when it comes to mobility over the next few years. However, we are still a long way from reaching the end of the flagpole.