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While recently working on a car, I was surprised to discover a sharp engine knock that was occurring because of a worn timing gear. I was even more surprised to find gear teeth made of plastic fiber compounds, similar to compressed fiberboard. These had ground away, preventing them from engaging a hardened crankshaft gear.

Today, non-traditional materials make cars and light trucks more dependable, efficient and environmentally friendly. Lower electric vehicles (EV) prices—and tax credits—are partly due to their use of sustainable materials, like micro glass bubbles, and boron nitride composites that dissipate battery heat.

Parts fabricated from steel, complex structural composites, plastics, alloys and polymers lower the overall weight of a vehicle, increasing fuel economy. These materials and the way they’re fastened preserve body rigidity while providing excellent ride comfort and passenger safety.

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Steel

Not surprisingly, this is the most common material in car manufacturing. Strong, readily available and easy to fabricate, it’s found in the exhaust, brake and suspension systems, as well as the engine, wheels, chassis and roof. Steel is used in EV motors and also reinforces non-metal chassis.

Examples of different types of steel in cars include:

• Advanced high-strength steel: Provides an excellent balance of light weight, strength and toughness. Used for doors, frames, undercarriages and bumpers.
• High carbon steel: Inexpensive and resists wear and tear. It lacks flexibility and can be brittle and rust. It’s found in the same applications as high-strength steel, plus bearings, suspension, chassis and the drivetrain.
• Alloy steel: Iron fused with other elements. It’s expensive and employed for specific applications. Ferrovanadium (iron and vanadium) is a high-impact alloy found in springs and shocks. Ferroaluminum (iron and aluminum) in exhaust and cooling systems is lightweight, heat-resistant and easy to fabricate.