Azernews.Az

by Alimat Aliyeva

Premium car manufacturers Ferrari and BMW are developing new models that will use less copper and more aluminum, particularly in electrical wiring. The main goal is to reduce production costs as copper prices continue to rise and global supply remains volatile. By doing so, European automakers are following a trend that has already been adopted by many Chinese manufacturers as well as Tesla in the United States, AzerNEWS reports.

According to analysts at JPMorgan, the automotive industry's growing shift away from copper could reduce global demand for the metal by around 2% this year. Experts interviewed by Reuters believe that if copper prices remain high and supply disruptions continue, even more automakers are likely to switch to aluminum in the coming years.

Representatives from 18 automotive companies surveyed by Reuters also noted that aluminum offers another important advantage: it is significantly lighter than copper. Reducing vehicle weight improves energy efficiency, increases the driving range of electric vehicles, and can help lower overall CO₂ emissions.

Jonver, a Chinese supplier of electrical components and EV parts, reported that rising demand for aluminum-based solutions has boosted aluminum's share of its sales from 20% in 2023 to 30% this year.

Interestingly, although aluminum has lower electrical conductivity than copper, advances in alloy technology and engineering have made it a practical alternative for many automotive applications. As automakers continue to focus on reducing costs and improving efficiency, aluminum is expected to play an increasingly important role in the next generation of vehicles.