Ricardo del Valle European Lightweight Cluster Alliance

2. Future prospects for lightweight materials and
technologies in automotive industry
Automotive Lightweight Materials Europe
Ricardo del Valle, PhD
June 8th, 2022

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ELCA - European Lightweight Clusters Alliance
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Outline
1. Brief introduction to the ELCA network
2. Background and context
3. Overview of challenges facing the automotive industry
4. The role of advanced lightweight materials as a driver
5. Opportunities for mitigation through the ELCA community: the AMULET project

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ELCA - European Lightweight Clusters Alliance
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1. Brief introduction to the ELCA network
• The European Lightweight Clusters Alliance (ELCA) is the largest Pan-European network that gathers
the most important European hubs working on lightweight materials and related manufacturing
technologies.
• The main purpose is to strengthen European leadership in the field of lightweighting with a multi-
material (polymers, light metals, ceramics and composites) and multisectoral approach (mobility,
energy, building, and industry).
• ELCA supports the internationalisation strategy of its members by fostering the creation of
collaborative R&D projects with large-scale funding and resources, the organisation of interactive
workshops and dedicated webinars, and active promotion and share of success stories in the
lightweight field.
• There are two types of members that are called lightweight nodes: cluster associations and research
centres and universities. Currently the ELCA network is integrated by 13 nodes form 10 different EU
countries. Altogether comprise a joint network of 875 SMEs, 259 large companies and 190 RTOs.

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ELCA - European Lightweight Clusters Alliance
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1. The ELCA: status
Innovation In Polymer Engineering
Porto, Portugal
Research Field Lightweight
Construction
Fraunhofer IWU: Chemnitz
Fraunhofer IWM: Freiburg im Breisgau,
Germany
Cluster MAV
Catalonia, Spain
Polymeris
Bellignat, France
LIGHTer
Gothernburg, Sweden
TU Chemnitz
Chemnitz, Germany
Bydgoszcz Industrial Cluster
Bydgoszcz, Poland
Jozef Stefan Institute (JSI)
Ljubljana, Slovenia
AMZ Sachsen
Dresden, Germany
Cluster MECH
Bologna, Italy
Bay Network
Budapest, Hungary
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Northumbria University
Newcastle upon Tyne, England
SMEs
875 258 Large companies RTOs
190

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ELCA - European Lightweight Clusters Alliance
1. The ELCA’s success stories 2020-2021
FUNDING
• + 20M € of funding secured
PROJECTs STARTED
• CENTAUR (M.Era-net)
• RIGHTWEIGHT (Interreg)
• AMULET (H2020)
• ELCA Internationalisation (COSME)
NEXT TO START:
• INSUSAC (Horizon Europe)
• SALIENT (Horizon Europe)
RESEARCH &
DEVELOPMENT
INTERNATIONALISATION
• ELCA (COSME)
• ACMA (WEBINAR)
• EBTC (WORKSHOP)
• ELASS (WORKSHOP)
• JEC (EVENT)
ONLINE ELCA PLATFORM
• STIMULATE COLLABORATION
+ A LOT OF COLLABORATION
& PROMOTION
BUSINESS
DEVELOPMENT

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ELCA - European Lightweight Clusters Alliance
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2. Background and context
• Lightweight materials and technologies have proved to be an effective
means to reduce CO2 emissions in transport.
• The aerospace sector was pioneer on their development and
implementation, and years after we all have seen how lightweighting
has become indispensable for automotive.
• However, the automotive sector is currently going through an intense
transformation: Economies and geopolitics are changing, markets are
emerging, new technologies are rising, sustainability regulations are
being updated, and consumer preferences on ownership are changing.
• Digitization, increasing automation, and new business models have
revolutionized other industries, and automotive is no exception.
• How that affects lightweight? How can lightweighting cope up with this
transformation? How can it remain relevant to industry and policy?

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ELCA - European Lightweight Clusters Alliance
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2. Background and context
• The aim is to present the vision of ELCA partners on the future of lightweight. This vision is based on input from
stakeholders of the European automotive lightweighting industry and completed with knowledge compiled from
current market research reports, technology studies and impact assessments, on-going initiatives, dedicated
automotive events and surveys.
78% 74% 61
%
53% 1
1
% 22%
1
4%
32% 21
% 1
3% 34%
46% 38% 17%
5% 3%
34% 21% 8%
Roadmaps Workshops and webinars Surveys On-going initiatives

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ELCA - European Lightweight Clusters Alliance
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3. Overview of challenges facing the automotive industry
Decarbonisation
agenda
Electromobility
Digital transition
Resilience
Circularity

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ELCA - European Lightweight Clusters Alliance
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3. Decarbonisation agenda
• European regulations differ from global standards,
which adds to the challenges related to the
international competitiveness of manufacturers.
• On 11 December 2019, the EC unveiled the
European Green Deal, which includes a plan to
reduce the carbon footprint and achieve carbon
neutrality by 2050.
• The “Fit for 55” climate plan should lead to better
harmonization of environmental regulations in
terms of greenhouse gas emissions, recycling and
electric vehicles.
• The plan includes reducing emissions down to 55%
from 2030 and reach zero-emission from 2035 (vs.
2021 levels).

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ELCA - European Lightweight Clusters Alliance
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3. Electromobility
• Major carmakers aim to work toward phasing out
sales of new ICE vehicles by 2040 worldwide, and
by 2035 in leading markets.
• The EU faces the challenge related to the the lack
of proper infrastructure to support the shift to
electric mobility: 70% of all EU charging stations
are concentrated in the Netherlands, France, and
Germany.
• The rapid increase in EV production will also
require a local expansion in battery supply.
• Nevertheless, ICE vehicles will still be on the roads
for a while. Accordingly, fuel economy standards
will remain an important consideration for
automakers and regulators.

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ELCA - European Lightweight Clusters Alliance
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3. Digital transition
• Digital solutions are needed both inside and
outside of the vehicle.
• From a wide EU perspective, electrification, smart
and shared mobility represent major steps
towards environmental sustainability and efficient
transportation, enabled to a large extent by
digitalisation.
• Adoption of the latest technologies and bringing
connected vehicles to the mainstream are likely to
open up new income sources for automakers in
the years ahead.
• Furthermore, OEMs need to shift from
conventional manufacturing models to automated
working processes while ensuring flexibility.

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ELCA - European Lightweight Clusters Alliance
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3. Resilience
• Besides technical and environmental regulations,
the non-existent EU tax harmonisation contribute
to the difficulties of the EU auto market
• Due to the pandemic, supply chain management
got affected by the spread across geographies of
auto supply chains
• Auto suppliers are further affected by raw
material prices, semiconductors’ bottleneck, the
demands of car manufacturers to decrease prices
and an increasing relocation of functions. Tier 2, 3
and 4 suppliers are often SMEs that don’t always
have possibilities for innovation.
• Resilience and transparency through digitisation
and other agile practices seem to be the way
forward for automotive companies.

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ELCA - European Lightweight Clusters Alliance
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3. Circularity
• The supply chain is responsible for 80% of a
company’s overall GHG emissions, and more
OEMs nowadays demand proof that the material
they use is sustainable.
• The industry needs to look beyond
electromobility to decarbonise transportation.
• Establishing concise circular-economy strategies
can help the automotive sector to reduce lifecycle
carbon emissions of vehicles.
• The fundamental challenges facing European
OEMs are how to increase recyclability - whilst
controlling costs - and ensure sustainable material
selection that considers design choice, target
application, safety, and material performance.

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ELCA - European Lightweight Clusters Alliance
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4. The role of advanced lightweight materials as a driver
How lightweighting can contribute to overcome each of these
challenges?
• The automotive industry faces a series of challenges that are
sector-specific but also very sensitive to the influence of external
factors such as the pandemic or geopolitical situations over the
supply chains. Environmental regulations will remain as one the
main factors influencing lightweight innovation.
• Lightweighting is a key enabling technology that drives advances
in different technological domains: lighter materials, functional
integration, optimised designs, suitable bonding techniques and
improved manufacturing processes.
The future of lightweight: where should we focus on?
• Lightweighting is a perfect combination of three dimensions of
sustainability – economic, environmental and social.

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ELCA - European Lightweight Clusters Alliance
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4. The role of advanced lightweight materials as a driver
Lightweight performance: multi-material and multi-functional
Affordability Alternative raw materials
Lower cycle times, scrap rates and energy consumption
Adapt existing manufacturing processes
Improve near net-shape techs Durability, repair, remanufacturing, reuse, recycling
Harmonised standards and certification
Bio-based and bio-degradable
Suitable joining techniques
Cradle-to-cradle
Increased range by lightweighting the battery packs
Increased safety
Circularity
Advanced monitoring and modelling
New emerging business models
Lightweight multi-functional components
New vehicle concepts Lightweight materials with lower structural properties
Agile methodologies Blockchain
Secondary materials
Transform production processes
Improve compatibility
Resilient Global Value Chains
Change in customer behaviour Zero—defect manufacturing
Human factor in I4.0
Impact protection and thermal properties Flexibility and scalability
Lightweighting electric motors

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ELCA - European Lightweight Clusters Alliance
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4. The role of advanced lightweight materials as a driver
Lightweight performance: multi-material and multi-functional
Affordability Alternative raw materials
Suitable joining techniques Circularity
Secondary materials Improve compatibility
Decarbonisation agenda: affordable, circular and multi-functional materials

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ELCA - European Lightweight Clusters Alliance
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4. The role of advanced lightweight materials as a driver
Electromobility: lightweighting of batteries and e-motors
Battery protection system
H2 CFRP vessel (1000 bar)
Lightweight performance: multi-material and multi-functional
Affordability Alternative raw materials
Lower cycle times, scrap rates and energy consumption
Adapt existing manufacturing processes
Improve near net-shape techs Durability, repair, remanufacturing, reuse, recycling
Harmonised standards and certification
Bio-based and bio-degradable
Suitable joining techniques
Cradle-to-cradle
Increased range by lightweighting the battery packs
Increased safety
Circularity
Advanced monitoring and modelling
New emerging business models
Lightweight multifunctional components
New vehicle concepts Lightweight materials with lower structural properties
Agile methdologies Blockchain
Secondary materials
Transform production processes
Improve compatibility
Resilient Global Value Chains
Change in customer behaviour Zero—defect manufacturing
Human factor in I4.0
Impact protection and thermal properties Flexibility and scalability
Lightweighting electric motors

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ELCA - European Lightweight Clusters Alliance
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4. The role of advanced lightweight materials as a driver
Digital transition: multi-functional materials and advanced modelling
Advanced monitoring and modelling
New emerging business models
Lightweight multifunctional components
New vehicle concepts Lightweight materials with lower structural properties
Agile methodologies Blockchain

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ELCA - European Lightweight Clusters Alliance
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4. The role of advanced lightweight materials as a driver
Adapt existing manufacturing processes
Transform production processes
Resilient Global Value Chains
Change in customer behaviour Zero—defect manufacturing
Human factor in I4.0
Resilience: trasnformation and adapting of lightweight manufacturing

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ELCA - European Lightweight Clusters Alliance
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4. The role of advanced lightweight materials as a driver
Lower cycle times, scrap rates and energy consumption
Improve near net-shape techs Durability, repair, remanufacturing, reuse, recycling
Harmonised standards and certification
Bio-based and bio-degradable
Cradle-to-cradle
Circularity: no waste, less energy, extended life and bio-based
Near net-shape strategies
Semi-industrial 3DP
Bio-based alternatives

22. The Advanced Materials &
manufacturing United for LightwEighT

23. Partnership
FRANCE
SLOVENIA
POLAND
BELGIUM
SPAIN
ITALY
GERMANY
ITALY
HUNGARY
SPAIN
CZECH
REPUBLIK
POLAND
NORWAY
supported
by:

24. 2
Open Calls
13
partners
36
months
project
duration
75%
of the project budget
redistributed
directly to high
impact projects led
by SME consortia
(2-3 SMEs)
5 mln
EUR
Total budget
up to
120 000€
per SME
consortium in the
form of grant
7
clusters
4
RTOs

25. The objective of AMULET
• AMULET builds upon the framework of the INNOSUP-01 programme for H2020, which aims to develop new cross-
sectoral industrial value chains by fostering the collaboration & integration of SMEs through the active
participation of clusters.
• The ultimate goal of AMULET is to significantly contribute to CO2 emissions reduction in the EU by boosting the
role of SMEs.
• New lightweight value chains are going to be created by fostering the use and penetration of 3 types of materials
in 4 targeted sectors
The 3 types of materials The 4 targeted sectors

26. The three types of activities for SMEs
Act. 2. Technical
training support
Act. 1: Innovation
projects
Act. 3. Business-to-
Business coaching
AMULET’s
activities
Thematic challenge
competitions
Continuous support
Demonstration
of new products
and services
Dedicated support
Educational materials
Technical coaching for
innovation projects
Continuous support
Dedicated support
Educational materials
Strategic coaching for
exploitation

27. Act. 1: Innovation projects through thematic
challenge competitions
THEMATIC CHALLENGE
COMPETITIONS
• The AMULET consortium identified current sectoral challenges per type of
material coming from key end-users and Tier1,2 suppliers.
• In parallel, thematic working group of experts were set up per type of material
and sector, who will support the development of the three types of activities in
AMULET.
• The thematic challenge-based competitions in AMULET are organized through two
open calls. The first open call is now open until June 30th, 2022, at 17:00h (CET).
• All EU SMEs are invited to participate by forming transnational consortia of 2-3
SMEs and submit the best innovative solutions (TRL4-5) to those challenges.
• Selected SME consortia will receive a lump sum grant of up to €120k per solution
(max €60k/SME) to develop their solution to TRL7.

28. 2nd Open Call:
Q4/2022
Thematic competitions
1st Open Call:
12th April - 30th June
2022

29. Benefits – 1st Open Call
Self-sustainable business
framework and new
market opportunities
Funding support up to 26
projects in the Feasibility
Study stage
Funding support up to 7
projects in the Demonstration
and Follow up stage
Educational support up to
350 SMEs
Dissemination of activities
of AMULET's outputs and
creation of business
ecosystems Business training support to
SMEs selected

30. Evaluation – 1st Open Call
REJECTIO
N
REJECTION
GO GO GO GO
Application
submission
to AMULET
Eligibility
check
Evaluation of
applications
by external
experts
AMULET
Selection
Committee
consensus
Jury Day
+ Final decision
Final
ranking list and
Sub-Grant
Agreement
o 3 evaluators
per application
o Evaluation
report
o Preliminary
ranking list
o Up to 36
invitations
to Jury Day
o Pitching /
Q&A session
o Selection
Committee
o Up to 26
projects
approved

31. AMULET H2020
AMULET H2020
amulet-h2020.eu
COORDINATOR:
Annabelle Sion
POLYMERIS
+33 (0)6 33 70 06 74
annabelle.sion@polymeris.fr
COMMUNICATION &
DISSEMINATION:
Agnieszka Dąbrowska
Bydgoszcz Industrial Cluster
+48 883 860 469
a.dabrowska@klaster.bydgoszcz.pl
Contact

32. For more information, please contact us:
Dr. Ricardo DEL VALLE-ZERMEÑO
r.delvalle@baxcompany.com
www.elca-network.eu
@ELCAnetwork