ISMR December 2022 / January 2023 | Page 52

FOCUS ON STAMPING

Lucid Air is the first car model in serial production with components manufactured with AP & T ’ s innovative aluminium hot-forming technology for the production of complex and high-strength aluminium components . Photograph : Lucid Motors .

HOT FORMING ALUMINIUM

Lucid chose AP & T ’ s technology for lightweight crash critical stampings . Photograph : The fischer Group .

The collaboration between Lucid , AP & T and the fischer Group on AP & T ’ s new aluminium technology has helped to reduce the weight of the Lucid Air luxury electric car .

“ With AP & T ’ s production technology for the hot forming of aluminium , body components which traditionally consist of several joined parts can be formed in a single step .”

Making cars lighter , more energyefficient and safer is a challenge for the entire automotive industry . U . S . electric car manufacturer , Lucid Motors , chose a new and innovative technology to address the challenge . The Lucid Air , launched in 2021 , uses several unique , lightweight components made of hot-formed , high-strength aluminium designed , manufactured and industrialised in collaboration with AP & T and the fischer Group .

“ We are extremely proud to be given the chance to contribute to the building of this fantastic car . Lucid Motors is among the first car manufacturers in the world to use hotformed , high-strength aluminium components made using our technology . It makes their success an important milestone for us as well ,” said Dr . Christian Koroschetz , Chief Sales Officer , AP & T .
Lucid ’ s mission is to inspire the adoption of sustainable energy by creating advanced technologies and “ the most captivating luxury electric vehicles centred around the human experience .” The company ’ s first car , Lucid Air , is a luxury sedan with a California-inspired design that features luxurious , full-size interior space in a mid-sized exterior footprint . Lucid recently reported Q3 revenue of US $ 195.5- million on deliveries of 1,398 vehicles .
Below ( L to R ): Dr . Christian Koroschetz , Chief Sales Officer , AP & T , and Eric Bach , Senior Vice President of Product and Chief Engineer , Lucid .
An exciting challenge
In 2015 , Lucid was in pursuit of the latest technology for the manufacturing of crashcritical stampings , such as door rings , B-pillar stiffenings and battery pack protection components . It reached out to AP & T .
Lucid presented AP & T with several parts and process requirements — pushing the team towards new and advanced processes , which would ultimately yield low weight , high formability , strength and ductibility products at high volumes .
At the time , AP & T was deeply engaged in innovation projects geared towards investigating how high-strength aluminium could be used to produce low-weight , highstrength car body components . As a direct result of these projects , Lucid selected AP & T as a supplier for the Lucid Air . “ AP & T presented a promising new
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