On 31 August 2009 WorldAutoSteel, consisting of the world’s 16 steel manufactures including Sumitomo Metals, made an announcement regarding “Global Steel Industry Developing Vehicle Concept Around Next Generation Electrics, Hybrids”. As world-wide demands for affordable, safe and high efficiency vehicles surge, the global steel industry’s WorldAutoSteel body has launched Phase 2 of its Future Steel Vehicle program (FSV) aimed at helping automakers optimize new propulsion technologies that will soon enter showrooms. The FSV program has completed Phase 1 of its research and has released its findings and plans for Phase 2. For Phase 1, FSV’s technical team, which includes EDAG, Quantum Technologies. SFCV/Tongji and WorldAutoSteel material experts, considered four technical specification options for proposed 2015-2020 year vehicle: battery electric (BEV) and plug-in hybrid electric (PHEV) vehicles for 4+ passengers; and plug-in hybrid electric (PHEV) and fuel cell vehicles for five-passengers. Each of these options was evaluated by the engineering team and powertrains were selected based on performance, viability for production in 2020 and cost. As well, two vehicle classes were identified: FSV-1 is a 4-door hatchback with BEV and PHEV20 powertrain variants. Phase 2 vehicle concepts, to be completed in 2010, will provide optimized steel designs that meet or exceed future environmental, fuel economy, safety and weight Standards.
