Toyota selects Novelis as aluminium supplier for 2019 RAV4

Novelis is supplying automaker Toyota with aluminium automotive body sheet for the all-new 2019 Toyota RAV4.

The RAV4 model is Toyota's number-one-selling vehicle and the best-selling non-pickup-truck in the country. With a new-and-improved design that includes Novelis material in the hood, fenders and lift gate, the fifth-generation model of the RAV4 is 4% lighter than previous models.

The new RAV4 offers consumers a robust design, additional safety technology and off-road capabilities resulting in an overall enhanced driving experience. By lightweighting the vehicle with aluminium, Toyota had even more flexibility to add new features, while also increasing the width and wheelbase. For example, lightweight aluminium helped offset 45 pounds of additional vehicle weight for a suite of safety features including a pre-collision system, lane departure alert and lane tracing assist.

To meet Toyota's stringent requirements for joining and performance, Novelis supplied Advanz 6HS – s600 and Advanz 6HS – e600, which are heat treatable alloys specifically designed and optimized for high strength requirements, offering a balance of formability and strength. In addition, a team of Novelis engineers and metallurgists developed a new thermomechanical manufacturing process at the company's facility in Oswego, New York, where Novelis produces the alloy for Toyota.