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April
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With global new energy vehicle (NEV) sales projected to exceed 40 million units by 2030, lightweighting and safety have become critical battlegrounds for automakers. In this technological revolution, zinc coated galvanized steel sheets and high-strength cold-rolled steel serve as the "invisible skeleton" of modern vehicles. Follow Tianjin Muchang for cutting-edge industry solutions and certified resources!
What Is Automotive Steel
Automotive steel represents a high-value category within specialty steels, demanding a balance of lightweight, safety, formability and corrosion resistance.
- Lightweight: By thinning the thickness of high-strength steel, the overall weight of the vehicles is reduced to improve energy efficiency (especially for new energy vehicles).
- Safety: Ultra-high-strength steel absorbs energy in collisions, protecting the integrity of the passenger compartment.
- Formability: Complex body components require steel with good stamping and welding properties.
- Corrosion resistance: Coated steel and stainless steel extend the service life of vehicles.
- Galvanized steel plate: surface galvanized treatment, used for exterior panels of car bodies, with strong corrosion resistance (such as car door panels and engine covers).
- Cold rolled steel: This high-precision steel is made from processed hot-rolled plates, used for vehicle structural components with high ductility (such as seat frames and crossbeams).
- Silicon steel (electrical steel): used for core components of electric vehicles such as motors and transformers, requiring high magnetic permeability and low iron loss.
- Stainless steel: used in high-temperature and corrosion-resistant scenarios such as exhaust systems and decorative parts (such as 409L and 436L stainless steel).
Tianjin Muchang: Empowering Global Automotive Lightweighting with 15+ Years of Expertise in Cold-Rolled & Galvanized Steel.
Galvanized Steel: Acts as a "corrosion guardian" for exterior panels (e.g., doors, hoods), with zinc layers resisting up to 1,000 hours of salt spray testing (vs. 500 hours for standard galvanized steel).
Cold-Rolled Steel: The "strength backbone" for structural components (e.g., seat frames, battery housings), achieving thickness precision of ±0.03mm (vs. ±0.1mm for industrial-grade sheets).
| Metric | Galvanized Steel | Cold-Rolled Steel |
|---|---|---|
| Corrosion Resistance | Zinc layer protection, no coating required | Requires coating (+20% cost) |
| Tensile Strength | Base material: 300-800 MPa | Up to 1,500 MPa (e.g., DP980 steel) |
| Cost Consideration | 20-30% higher unit price | Reduces overall energy consumption |
For instance, BYD's Han EV battery housing employs zinc-aluminum-magnesium (ZM) coated steel, boosting corrosion resistance by 50%.
Call to Action: Tianjin Muchang offers customized automotive steel solutions – optimize performance and cost today!
- Fuel vehicles:
- Cold-rolled sheet: engine bracket, chassis reinforcement (high rigidity required).
- Galvanized sheet: body exterior covering (anti-corrosion requirements are prioritized).
- New energy vehicles:
- Cold-rolled sheet: battery pack shell (strength + lightweight).
- Galvanized sheet: body exterior panel (anti-corrosion + beautiful, increased proportion of electroplating zinc)
External Link: Tesla’s Gigacasting Technology Explained
Automotive steel requires stringent IATF 16949 certification(automotive quality management), while industrial steel complies with general standards (e.g., GB/T 700).
Performance requirements: more stringent comprehensive indicators
| Index | Automotive steel plate | Ordinary steel plate |
|---|---|---|
| Strength | Must meet high-strength steel standards (such as DP590, DP980), while balancing lightweight and safety | Wide range of strength, mostly used for ordinary structures (such as Q235) |
| Formability | High elongation rate (≥ 30%), suitable for complex stamping (such as car door surfaces) | Low formability requirements (generally 15-25% elongation) |
| Corrosion Resistance | Galvanized sheet needs to pass a 1000 hour salt spray test (ordinary galvanized sheet only needs 500 hours) | Low anti-corrosion requirements (such as galvanized sheet for construction) |
| Surface Quality | Surface smoothness (Ra ≤ 0.5 μ m), without scratches, uneven zinc flower defects | Allow slight zinc spots and rough surfaces (such as household appliance casings) |
Failure Case: A domestic automaker reduced battery pack failure rates by 90% after switching from industrial-grade to cold-rolled DP600 steel.
Urgent Reminder: Partner with certified suppliers! Contact Tianjin Muchang for IATF 16949-compliant automotive steel.
Eco-Friendly Galvanizing: Chromium-free passivation (pioneered by Valin Steel), reducing heavy metal pollution.
Cold-Rolling Advancements: Short-process technology (thin-slab casting) cuts energy use by 30%, supporting carbon neutrality.
Hybrid Solutions: Zinc coatings + ultra-high-strength substrates (e.g., Ansteel’s QP1500 steel), enabling coating-free applications (Toyota bZ4X pilot).
The evolution of automotive steel continues – from galvanizing breakthroughs to cold-rolled strength innovations, every gram saved propels the industry forward.
Collaborative R&D between automakers and steelmakers will define the future.
Visit Tianjin Muchang’s website to download the 2024-2025 Automotive Steel Whitepaper;
Click Contact Us for tailored supply chain solutions!
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