With the continuous iteration of automotive body technology, the combination of new materials, new structures and new processes, the concept of “lightweight car” has become popular. Automobile lightweighting has become an effective measure to reduce vehicle emissions and improve combustion efficiency, and is also the main direction for the development of automotive materials. Among the new power-making brands, the Weilai ES8 has a utilization rate of 96.4% of aluminum, making it the most used aluminum alloy in the global production. So, what role does it play in the ES8, let us find out.

■ Why does the ES8 choose an all-aluminum body design with a usage rate of 96.4%?

As a new power-making brand, Weilai brand firmly believes that lightweighting must be the future trend of electric vehicles at the beginning of research and development, because it is lighter, stronger and more environmentally friendly. As a result, the Weilai ES8 became the first lightweight all-aluminum body platform in China that was independently developed and mass produced. And in the most critical force transmission path and bearing position of the body, the ES8 also uses high-performance aluminum. This makes the use of aluminum on the ES8 all-aluminum body as high as 96.4%, making it the highest proportion of aluminum in the global production of all-aluminum body.

Therefore, the Weilai ES8 is a combination of lightness, sturdiness and safety. Here, the all-aluminum body of the Weilai ES8 is shown in the following aspects:

1. Energy consumption only accounts for 5% of new production;

2. In the process of energy consumption, it can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 92%;

3, the body weight is reduced, the degree of freedom of configuration is increased, and sufficient space is reserved;

4. Energy consumption is reduced by 8%-10%, and pollutant emissions are reduced by 7%;

5, the brake distance is reduced by 3 meters, and the kinetic energy is reduced by 10%;

6. The acceleration of 100 km is reduced by 0.5 seconds, and the effective load is increased by 130 kg.

■ ES8 uses data to illustrate some issues

Several key points data: 1, body-in-white weight 335kg; 2, torsional stiffness 44140N·m / deg; 3, body-in-white lightweight index 2.02; 4, the highest proportion of global mass production SUV application rate; 5, use Military-grade 7 series aluminum alloy; 6, a variety of advanced connection technology.

■ Reviews

As everyone in the industry knows, from the perspective of automotive design, whether it is design, materials, crafts or manufacturing, it emphasizes “lightweight”. Various auto brands are also seeking to introduce lightweight, high-strength materials into the car body, and the “all-aluminum body technology” is the most representative case. The reason is that this all-aluminum car body technology can overcome the rigidity problem of the car body and increase the lightness.

Weilai ES8 understands this at the beginning. As a new power-building brand, it must be led by green, interconnected, and electric drive. Therefore, the high-coverage all-aluminum body is selected in the body design. Comprehensive performance has been further improved.