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ALMA · Project

Lightweight Multi-Material EV Platforms That Cut Weight 45% and Are Built to Be Recycled

transportPilotedTRL 6
almaproject.eu

Imagine your electric car is carrying around a lot of unnecessary weight — heavier body panels, structural parts that could be lighter. That extra weight drains the battery faster, so you get fewer kilometres per charge. ALMA figured out how to mix advanced steels, composites, and smart bonding techniques to build an EV body that's 45% lighter, cheaper to produce, and — here's the clever part — designed so every piece can be unclipped and recycled at end of life instead of crushed into scrap. They even built in a damage detection system that listens for cracks while you drive.

By the numbers
45%
Weight reduction vs. current baseline
15%
Additional weight reduction vs. prior-art solutions
3€/Kg-saved
Target additional cost ceiling
2.2 KWh/100Km
Efficiency increase enabled
11%
Life-cycle assessment improvement
11
Consortium partners
4
EU countries represented
15
External Advisory Board supporters
The business problem

What needed solving

Electric vehicles are heavy — their battery packs already add significant mass, and conventional steel bodies make it worse. That extra weight directly cuts driving range and increases energy consumption. At the same time, new EU regulations demand that vehicles be recyclable, but modern multi-material car bodies are nearly impossible to separate and recycle properly.

The solution

What was built

ALMA built a physical demonstrator of a lightweight multi-material BEV platform (body-in-white, chassis, and closures) combining advanced high-strength steels and composite materials, along with reversible bonding technology for end-of-life disassembly and an acoustic emissions-based structural health monitoring system.

Audience

Who needs this

Electric vehicle OEMs looking to extend driving range through weight reductionTier 1 automotive suppliers developing next-generation body-in-white structuresEnd-of-life vehicle recyclers needing separable multi-material solutionsStructural health monitoring system integrators for composite vehiclesAdvanced materials companies (steel and composites) targeting automotive applications
Business applications

Who can put this to work

Automotive Manufacturing
enterprise
Target: Electric vehicle OEMs and Tier 1 body-in-white suppliers

If you are an EV manufacturer struggling with driving range limitations due to vehicle weight — ALMA developed a multi-material modular platform combining advanced high-strength steels and composites that achieves 45% weight reduction compared to current baselines, enabling up to 2.2 KWh/100Km efficiency gains. The cost target is below 3€/Kg-saved, making lightweight construction economically viable at production scale.

Automotive Recycling & Circular Economy
any
Target: End-of-life vehicle processors and material recovery companies

If you are an EV recycler facing the challenge of separating bonded multi-material structures — ALMA developed a reversible bonding technology that lets components be separated at end of life for repair and reuse. This means mixed-material body parts can actually be dismantled and sorted for recycling, rather than being shredded into unsortable waste. The project demonstrated an 11% life-cycle assessment improvement.

Automotive Components & Structural Health
mid-size
Target: Suppliers of vehicle monitoring and safety systems

If you are a sensor or monitoring system supplier looking for the next generation of in-service damage detection — ALMA integrated an acoustic emissions-based structural health monitoring system that detects and locates damage in lightweight composite-steel structures while the vehicle is driving. This opens a market for embedded monitoring in multi-material EV platforms where traditional inspection methods fall short.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

What does it cost to implement this lightweight solution?

ALMA targeted a cost below 3€/Kg-saved of additional cost compared to conventional structures. For a vehicle achieving 45% weight reduction, this keeps the total added cost within commercially viable range for volume production. Specific per-vehicle cost breakdowns are not publicly available.

Can this be produced at industrial scale?

The consortium includes an automotive OEM and 7 industry partners (64% of the consortium), which signals strong manufacturing orientation. ALMA built a physical demonstrator of the lightweight structure. However, full production-line integration would still require industrialization steps beyond the project scope.

What is the IP situation and can I license this technology?

ALMA was an EU Innovation Action with 11 partners across 4 countries. IP is typically shared among consortium members under the grant agreement. Licensing discussions would need to go through the coordinator (CTAG, Spain) and relevant technology-owning partners. Based on available project data, specific patent filings are not detailed in the public records.

Does this meet upcoming EU vehicle regulations?

ALMA was specifically designed with circular economy principles and eco-design strategies to anticipate stricter environmental regulations. The 11% LCA improvement and end-of-life separation capability directly address EU End-of-Life Vehicles Directive requirements and upcoming sustainability reporting obligations.

How long before this could be in production vehicles?

The project ran from February 2021 to January 2024 and produced a physical demonstrator. As an Innovation Action, it targeted technology readiness suitable for near-market development. Based on available project data, 2-4 years of additional industrialization would likely be needed before series production.

How does this integrate with existing production lines?

ALMA used a modular platform approach covering body-in-white, chassis, and closures. The multi-material design combines advanced high-strength steels (already common in automotive) with Advanced-SMC composites. This modularity is specifically intended to allow gradual adoption rather than full production line replacement.

Consortium

Who built it

ALMA's 11-partner consortium across 4 countries (Germany, Spain, France, Netherlands) is heavily industry-oriented at 64%, with 7 industrial partners including an automotive OEM — a strong signal that the technology was designed for real production environments, not just academic interest. The consortium includes 2 SMEs bringing agility, 3 research and technology organizations providing technical depth, and 1 international association for broader industry reach. With zero universities and 15 external Advisory Board supporters, this is clearly an application-driven project built to move results toward market adoption. The coordinator CTAG (Spain) is an automotive innovation foundation with deep ties to the Galician automotive industry.

How to reach the team

CTAG (Fundación para la Promoción de la Innovación, Investigación y Desarrollo Tecnológico en la Industria de Automoción de Galicia), based in Spain — an automotive innovation foundation. Contact via project website or SciTransfer introduction.

Order a report on this consortiumSee FUNDACION PARA LA PROMOCION DE LA INNOVACION INVESTIGACION Y DESARROLLO TECNOLOGICO EN LA INDUSTRIA DE AUTOMOCION DE GALICIA profile →
Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Want to explore licensing ALMA's lightweight multi-material platform or reversible bonding technology for your EV program? SciTransfer can arrange a direct introduction to the right technical partner in the consortium.

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