FLAMINGo · Project

Lightweight Aluminium Composites That Replace Steel in Electric Vehicles

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Imagine mixing tiny nano-sized particles into aluminium the way you'd add chocolate chips to cookie dough — except these particles make the metal dramatically stronger and stiffer. FLAMINGo figured out how to do this at industrial scale so car manufacturers can swap heavy steel parts for these super-aluminium composites, cutting vehicle weight by up to 20%. They built real parts — brackets, subframes, body profiles — and installed them on an actual electric utility vehicle for road testing. The whole process is designed to work with existing casting and extrusion equipment, and the material can even be recycled.

By the numbers

+200%

Strength improvement over current automotive aluminium alloys

+30%

Stiffness improvement over current automotive aluminium alloys

up to 20%

Weight reduction when substituting steel components in BEVs

Consortium partners across 8 countries

62%

Industry partners in the consortium

The business problem

What needed solving

Electric vehicle manufacturers face a critical weight problem: heavy batteries eat into range, and the rest of the vehicle needs to get lighter to compensate. Current aluminium alloys are not strong enough to replace steel in structural parts like subframes and brackets, while carbon fibre is expensive and hard to recycle. The industry needs a material that is as strong as steel, as light as aluminium, and compatible with standard manufacturing processes.

The solution

What was built

The project built a complete industrial manufacturing chain for aluminium metal matrix composites: nanoparticle masterbatches via mechanical alloying, casting with ultrasonication and electromagnetic stirring, Low Pressure Die Casting for small parts, Green Sand Casting for large subframes, and extrusion for body frame profiles. The final deliverable was an assembled ALKE electric utility vehicle with integrated Al-MMC components ready for field testing.

Audience

Who needs this

EV manufacturers looking to extend battery range through weight reductionAutomotive Tier 1 suppliers producing structural brackets, connectors, and subframesAluminium foundries and casting companies seeking higher-value product linesElectric utility vehicle and commercial fleet operators wanting lighter, more efficient vehiclesAluminium recyclers looking to process and upcycle secondary aluminium into premium composites

Business applications

Who can put this to work

Electric Vehicle Manufacturing

enterprise

Target: EV manufacturers and automotive OEMs producing battery-electric vehicles

If you are an EV manufacturer struggling with range limitations due to vehicle weight — this project developed aluminium metal matrix composites with +200% strength and +30% stiffness over standard aluminium alloys, enabling up to 20% weight reduction when replacing steel parts. The manufacturing route uses casting and extrusion processes compatible with existing production lines. Real parts were built and validated on an electric utility vehicle.

Automotive Parts & Components

mid-size

Target: Tier 1 and Tier 2 automotive component suppliers making structural parts

If you are a component supplier looking to offer lightweight alternatives to steel brackets, connectors, or subframes — this project demonstrated both Low Pressure Die Casting for smaller parts and Green Sand Casting for larger structural components using aluminium composites. Welding techniques (TIG, GTAW, RSW) for joining these components were also validated. This means you can produce and assemble composite parts using proven industrial methods.

Aluminium Processing & Recycling

any

Target: Aluminium smelters, foundries, and recycling operations

If you are an aluminium processor looking for higher-value products — this project created a masterbatch approach where nanoparticle-reinforced aluminium concentrate is inoculated into standard melts. The process supports use of secondary (recycled) aluminium in the formulation. This opens a path to producing premium-grade composite billets and castings from your existing facilities.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

What would it cost to adopt this aluminium composite manufacturing process?

The project data does not include specific per-unit or licensing costs. However, the manufacturing route was designed around existing industrial equipment — casting, extrusion, and standard welding — which suggests lower capital investment compared to entirely new production lines. Contact the coordinator for pricing discussions.

Can this be produced at industrial scale, not just in a lab?

Yes. FLAMINGo was an Innovation Action specifically targeting full-scale manufacturing. They demonstrated Low Pressure Die Casting for smaller parts and Green Sand Casting for larger subframes, and extruded cast billets into body frame profiles. An assembled electric vehicle with integrated parts was built and prepared for field testing.

What is the IP situation — can we license this technology?

The consortium of 13 partners across 8 countries likely holds shared IP, with the coordinator MBN Nanomaterialia (an Italian SME specializing in nanomaterials) as the lead. Specific licensing terms would need to be negotiated directly. The consortium includes 10 SMEs which may indicate openness to licensing arrangements.

How does this compare to existing lightweight solutions like carbon fibre?

Based on the project data, the aluminium composites offer +200% strength and +30% stiffness over current automotive aluminium alloys, while enabling up to 20% weight reduction versus steel. Unlike carbon fibre, these composites use casting and extrusion — standard metalworking processes — and the material is recyclable, including use of secondary aluminium.

Has this actually been tested on a real vehicle?

Yes. A key deliverable was an assembled ALKE electric utility vehicle integrating parts produced in the project, ready for field testing. The deliverable included constructive details and a license for use and testing. This goes well beyond laboratory validation.

Does this meet automotive industry regulations?

The project included validation of component estimated service life and installation on vehicles, which implies durability and safety assessment. However, specific regulatory certifications (e.g., type approval) are not detailed in the available project data. Further compliance steps may be needed for series production.

Can we use recycled aluminium with this process?

Yes. The project objective explicitly states that the formulation supports the use of secondary (recycled) aluminium. A dedicated recycling component for Al-MMC parts was also part of the project scope, making this compatible with circular economy requirements in the automotive sector.

Consortium

Who built it

The FLAMINGo consortium is heavily industry-driven: 8 out of 13 partners are industrial companies, with 10 classified as SMEs, giving a 62% industry ratio across 8 European countries (AT, BE, DE, EL, ES, IT, PT, UK). This is unusually strong commercial involvement for an EU project. The coordinator, MBN Nanomaterialia (Italy), is an SME specialized in nanomaterials — meaning the core IP holder is a company, not a university. With only 1 university and 2 research organizations, this consortium was built to industrialize, not to publish papers. For a business buyer, this means the technology was developed with manufacturing reality in mind, and the partners likely have direct interest in commercializing the results.

MBN NANOMATERIALIA SRLCoordinator · IT
MATRES SCRLthirdparty · IT
ALKE SRLparticipant · IT
EUROPEAN FEDERATION FOR WELDING JOINING AND CUTTINGparticipant · BE
AXIA INNOVATION GmbHparticipant · DE
EXELISIS IKEthirdparty · EL
GLOBAL FACTOR INTERNATIONAL CONSULTING SLparticipant · ES
KAMPAKAS METALLOURGIKI TECHNIKI EMPORIKI KAI VIOMICHANIKI AEparticipant · EL
INSTITUTO DE SOLDADURA E QUALIDADEparticipant · PT
VEREIN FUER PRAKTISCHE GIESSEREIFORSCHUNGparticipant · AT
BRUNEL UNIVERSITY LONDONparticipant · UK

How to reach the team

MBN Nanomaterialia SRL is an Italian SME specializing in nanomaterials. SciTransfer can facilitate a direct introduction to the project coordinator.

Order a report on this consortium See MBN NANOMATERIALIA SRL profile →

Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Want to explore licensing this aluminium composite technology or test it for your vehicle components? SciTransfer connects you directly with the FLAMINGo team — contact us for an introduction.

Order a report on this topic More in Transport & Mobility