Nissan Starts Drive to 100% Low-Carbon Aluminum Car Parts

Nissan begins using low-CO2 aluminum in its vehicles from this year, promising to be only using this metal from green or recycled materials in all its products by 2030.

The automaker says aluminum currently accounts for approximately 10% of vehicle weight and that, by using low-CO2-emission aluminum, it aims to take a significant step towards achieving carbon neutrality in the entire lifecycle of its vehicles by 2050.

It says green aluminum, produced using non-fossil-fuel-produced electricity, can reduce CO2 emissions during production by about 50%. Also, recycled aluminum can reduce CO2 emissions by approximately 95%.

It’s worth noting here that experts estimate 75% of all 1.5-billion metric-tons of aluminum ever produced remains in use today, making it one of the most recycled materials on earth.

Nissan says it has been purchasing low-CO2-emission aluminum sheets for vehicle panels produced in Japan from Kobe Steel and UACJ Corporation. It plans to use the material for all aluminum global parts, including processed components, to further reduce CO2 emissions.

For all new models produced from fiscal year 2027, low-CO2-emission aluminum will be used. For current models, this year Nissan will start purchasing wheels, chassis parts, axle parts and harness wires made from green aluminum in Japan, the U.S. and Europe. By the end of fiscal years 2024, about 20% of the newly mined aluminum Nissan uses for car parts procured in those markets is expected to be replaced with green or recycled aluminum.