Low-carbon aluminium is playing an increasingly important role in greening the automotive industry. Premium car models have long favoured aluminium for its light weight and strength, but the metal’s reach now extends into the mass market segment. In the wake of increasingly stringent emissions requirements and new weight and design challenges from electric vehicles (EVs), demand is poised to grow rapidly over the course of the decade.
As the world’s third largest aluminium provider and the leading player in green aluminium, Rusal has emerged as the industry pace setter. But with Russian sanctions in key automotive markets, its impact on the global stage could prove limited. Elias Sarkis, Rusal’s Export Sales Director, remains optimistic both for the company specifically and the automotive aluminium market more broadly. As he tells Automotive World, sustainability is top of the agenda for European carmakers, and that’s where Rusal really shines.