The influence of fuel price on an automaker's decision to lightweight cars via materials substitution
Name
618716234-MIT.pdf
Description
Full printable version
Size
7.48 MB
Format
Adobe PDF
Checksum (MD5)
5c1a305e7149d9587fedb4812209e8d4
Author(s)
Feng, Jennifer C
Advisor(s)
Randolph E. Kirchain.
Date Issued
2009
Publisher
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Abstract
The following study examines how the costs and benefits of improving fuel economy of vehicles via lightweighting with aluminum closures change with gas price. A process-based cost model is used to evaluate the costs of lightweighting with aluminum for six representative vehicles, and an industry choice-based conjoint decision analysis market model is used to evaluate the benefits of lightweighting given a 0.5mpg increase in fuel economy. Vehicles were examined by class size. Compact car owners were observed to be willing to pay for improved fuel economy but consumer preferences indicate insufficient willingness to pay to cover the costs of lightweighting with aluminum for a representative compact car, the Toyota Corolla. However, no conclusion can be made as to whether larger car owners are or are not willing to pay for improved fuel economy.
Description
Thesis (S.B.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Materials Science and Engineering, 2009.
Cataloged from PDF version of thesis.
Includes bibliographical references (p. 32-33).
Subjects
Materials Science and Engineering.
MIT Department
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Materials Science and Engineering
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copyright. They may be viewed from this source for any purpose, but
reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written
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