Recently, the world's largest integrated die-cast magnesium alloy rear auto body, jointly developed by Chongqing University, Seres, Baowu Magnesium Industry, and University of Science and Technology Beijing, was unveiled. This marks a new breakthrough in the application of lightweight automotive materials and the enhancement of safety performance, as the magnesium alloy rear auto body officially transitions from being a part to a complete vehicle component, and from laboratory research to mass production applications.
According to reports, Seres' ultra-large integrated die-cast magnesium alloy rear auto body is produced using a 10,000-mt-class ultra-large die-casting island, achieving 12 technological breakthroughs from scratch within the industry. It not only reduces the vehicle body weight by 21.8% but also enhances overall performance by 10%. Meanwhile, it reduces carbon emissions throughout the life cycle by 15%, improves electromagnetic shielding performance by two-fold, and enhances damping and vibration reduction effects by 25 times. The delivery of this mass-produced ultra-large magnesium alloy structural component marks a new era in automotive magnesium applications.
At the launch event, Pan Fusheng, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, President of the Chongqing Association for Science and Technology, and a professor at Chongqing University, stated that the current maturity of magnesium alloy technology has enabled the application of over 50 kg of magnesium alloy per vehicle. Moving forward, achieving applications of over 100 kg and 200 kg per vehicle will require further technological breakthroughs. This achievement is of milestone significance. Energy security is a crucial cornerstone for a nation, and one of the most effective means to truly achieve energy conservation and emission reduction is through lightweighting, with magnesium alloy being one of the most effective materials in this regard. This industry-university-research collaborative innovation has yielded remarkable results, serving as a model of efficient cooperation and demonstrating an efficient conversion mechanism across the entire chain of "concept integration—technical cooperation—product integration."
Gong Jianyong, Vice President of Seres Group's AITO Wenjie BG, stated that during the R&D process of the ultra-large integrated die-cast magnesium alloy rear auto body, multiple patents, papers, and standards were formulated, covering the entire process of new material formulations, novel die-casting processes, and development and testing of connections and corrosion prevention. This has become a key support for building national industrial security barriers, showcasing the technological confidence of Chinese enterprises in the global industrial chain reconfiguration.
Magnesium alloy is a national green and key strategic material, known for its vibration-damping, noise-reducing, and lightweight properties. Seres has consistently regarded magnesium alloy and other new lightweight materials as its core technological strategic direction, systematically laying out the development and industrial application of advanced magnesium alloys several years ago. Currently, the Wenjie series car models have broken through the 10-piece threshold in the application of magnesium alloy parts per vehicle, reaching the 20-kg level per vehicle. The scope of part development and application volume are at the forefront of the industry.
As the magnesium alloy rear auto body enters the vehicle-level trial production and testing phase, Seres is accelerating the construction of a "materials—processes—products" trinity technical guarantee, providing a brand-new solution for the lightweight and safety transformation of the global automotive industry. It has established a benchmark for lightweight alloy R&D in the NEV field, reshaping the foundation of safety and lightweighting. This may redefine the global industrial landscape for the development and application of new materials in NEVs, showcasing China's innovative strength and strategic foresight in the high-end automotive sector to the world.
