Automakers Slimming Down their Vehicles

In the recent findings of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, American vehicles are heavier by 125 pounds from 1968 until 2001. According to the NHTSA, the figure was only their estimate as automakers are further adding safety equipment in their vehicles.

Automakers have been struck by the idea that their cars are getting heavier, so they started creating slimmer concept cars but without sacrificing safety value. Though the new concept cars are slender, they are also more fuel efficient and are capable of giving its passengers protection from side, front and rear crashes. Every ten percent decrease in the vehicle’s weight is equal to a seven percent increase in its fuel efficiency says the Environmental Protection Agency.

For example, some parts of the “QamaQ”, Hyundai’s concept car that debuted in this week’s Los Angeles Auto Show were made from light and cheap raw materials. The hood, doors and other car parts were made from 900 recycled bottles removing 132 pounds from the weight of the same vehicle made of the traditional aluminum and steel.

At the Tokyo Motor Show last month, Toyota’s 1/X concept car was made of strong, light carbon fiber. Its 1/X name was from the idea that the weight of the car is a fraction of the average car weight. Compared to the fuel-efficient Prius, the 1/X is only one-third (33 percent) of its weight same as its engine and also burning one-third of its fuel.

“The significance of the 1/X shouldn’t be understated,” insists Michael Brylawski, practice leader of the transportation innovations group at the Rocky Mountain Institute, a groups focused on environmental issues. “With it, Toyota is saying the next frontier is going to be ‘lightweighting.’”

According to Tom Lane, vice-president for product planning at Nissan, the “increasing requirement for safety” is the main reason why vehicles are gaining weight. Automakers in general emphasize that crash protection equipment are the source of additional car pounds.

The car’s power windows and door locks are made of heavy electric servos requiring the use of heavy alternators and batteries. As of now, Toyota’s Lexus LS460 has the most number of these electric servos with 125 and it is also jam-packed with gadgets and performance parts (including Lexus fuel injectors).

Consumers follow advices from institutions performing crash tests when choosing the safest vehicles. Both the NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) and the IIHS (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety) are performing tougher crash tests, for their vehicles to earn five star crash ratings from the NHTSA and a top score from the IIHS, automakers have also made their vehicles responsive with additional shields.