Nissan will begin using a new type of steel that combines high tensile strength with an ability to withstand high levels of deformation as it would help future models reduce emissions while offering unrivalled protection to occupants.
Nissan is the world’s first carmaker to use the high-formability steel. Being thinner and lighter, it still has the strength and flexibility to form parts with complex shapes yet able to absorb energy in a collision.
The Infiniti QX50 that went on sale earlier this year in the US is the world’s first vehicle to be reinforced with this high tensile strength steel as the material makes up for 27% of the car.
Nissan plans to expand the use of this material, which enhances fuel efficiency as well as driving performance by lowering vehicle weight, to other models. It wants to implement the material to make up for 25% of the company’s vehicle parts by weight.
