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Auto Materials - Steel Weight of Typical Passenger Vehicle

Our Consultants estimate that the weight of a typical passenger vehicle is ~1440kg. Of this, ~75% is metal (including iron, steel, aluminium, magnesium, copper and zinc) - with steel itself weighing some 830kg. The steel in turn comprises flat steel products used to manufacture the car body (including the body in white, i.e. the doors, the boot / bonnet lids, the bumpers etc) and the non-exposed car chassis and other non-body automotive parts (including the fuel tank, the exhaust system, the radiator, and the wheels); and long products (mostly engineering steels or 'SBQ') for the drive, the suspension, the engine, the transmission and the steering as well as steel for tyre cord and seating wire applications. Overall demand for auto steel and other metals and materials is therefore broadly distributed as shown in the chart below.

Note - other metals include significant quantities of magnesium, copper and zinc. Analysis estimated as at end 2007.

If you would like to see our assessment of the tonnage figures above, this analysis - together with a fully-referenced spreadsheet showing all the assumptions and auto data - is available for purchase through Metals Consulting International for just US $325. Just click on the PayPal button below.

Metals Consulting International Limited ('MCI') provides professional steel sector market research, consulting, business advice and management support to the metal industry worldwide. For further information, please contact us by email at MCI@steelonthenet.com.