Nippon Steel, Sekisui Chemical developing lighter materials

Nippon Steel Corp. and Sekisui Chemical Co. are among the major producers developing lighter materials for hybrids and other environmentally friendly automobiles. Lighter bodies are all the more important for green vehicles, which tend to be about 10% heavier than comparable gasoline-powered cars because they require large-capacity batteries and an array of electrical components. For example, carmaker Nissan Motor Co. plans to reduce the weight of all vehicle models by an average of 15% by 2015. (August 25, 2009)