The Nissan Motor Co., Ltd announced Monday that they would use a new, higher tensile strength and high-formability steel in their vehicles going forward, which they claim could help lower emissions and weight while improving performance.
The change marks a distinct first for the industry as Nissan will become the first carmaker to use the new steel, which they developed in partnership with Nippon Steel & Sumitomo Metal Corp. It is cold-pressable, meaning it can be mass-produced without dramatically raising vehicle prices for the switch over. The new metal also has the benefit of being more malleable. Nissan representatives note its stamping formability and strength grant it the ability to form more complex shapes than traditional steels, while being both thinner and lighter, and not sacrificing the ability to take a hit.
So far, the material can be seen in the INFINITI QX50 SUV, but Nissan plans to expand its use to other models over the coming years. That rollout will be in conjunction with a new sustainability plan, which calls for lowering CO2 emissions by 40 percent of the 2000 rate by the year 2022.