Aluminum will be greenhouse gas neutral by 2030  In the critical transportation industry, our research in lifecycle modeling has shown that by 2030 the emissions of the entire aluminum industry can be offset by the potential emission savings from the transport sector's increased use of aluminum.
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Mazda RX-8
A specially designed shock-absorbing aluminum hood developed by Mazda Motor Corp. is one of the key features of the Japanese auto market RX-8 supercar.
The hood, referred to by the company as a "Shock Cone Aluminum Hood," is designed to limit injuries to pedestrians if they are hit by the car. Both the outer and inner panels are aluminum, but the inner panel is made from sheet into which cone-shaped dimples have been press-formed to improve stiffness. The "Multicone" design was developed by Alcoa Inc., Pittsburgh, which has been a major player in the automotive aluminum sheet market for a long time.
The Multicone sheet, as well as the rolled material for the outer hood panel and some other parts of the new four-door sports car, is being supplied by Kobe Steel Group through a 50-50 joint venture it has with Alcoa in Tokyo called Kobe Alcoa Transportation Products Ltd. (KATP). The Kobe companies were involved in the development of the RX-8's hood virtually from the start of Mazda's design work on the car. Mazda also uses aluminum in the inner panels of the rear doors, suspensions, transmission, engine and certain other parts, resulting in a curb weight of 3,053 pounds.
The entire powertrain, including the "Renesis" rotary engine, is located behind the front axle in what Mazda refers to as a front-midship layout, resulting in a near-perfect 50-50 front-rear weight distribution. The car also has a very low center of gravity, contributing to safe, solid handling even at higher speeds. The RX-8 is close to the size of a Ford Focus sedan, but its 210-horsepower Wankel-type engine makes it more powerful than the Audi TT 180 Coupe.
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