Lightweight + High Performance Magnesium Alloys Lead the New Track in Automotive and Robotics Industries [SMM Survey]

Amid the global wave of green development and industrial upgrading, the automotive industry is pursuing lightweighting to reduce energy consumption and enhance driving range, while the robotics industry urgently requires high-performance materials to achieve flexibility and scale. Magnesium alloy, with its advantages of low density, high strength, and excellent damping capacity, has become a core material for breaking through development bottlenecks in these two industries. From automotive parts to key robot components, magnesium alloy is gradually replacing traditional materials, driving the transformation of industries from "heavy manufacturing" to "smart precision manufacturing." Recent strategic collaborations and product launches by several enterprises further highlight the core value of magnesium alloy in industrial transformation.​

Lizhong Group and Vision Intelligence: Magnesium Alloy Empowers Upgrades in Humanoid Robots​

On October 9, 2025, Lizhong Group and Vision Intelligence signed the "Robot Strategic Cooperation Agreement," with magnesium alloy serving as the core material link in their partnership. Leveraging its high-end magnesium alloy material R&D and precision manufacturing capabilities, Lizhong Group will provide high-performance magnesium alloy materials and lightweight parts for Vision Intelligence's humanoid robots, significantly reducing the robot body weight, improving movement flexibility and endurance, and helping overcome manufacturing cost bottlenecks to achieve scaled deployment. Simultaneously, Lizhong Group will also offer assembly support services for the robots, ensuring assembly accuracy through the precise production of magnesium alloy parts. In return, Vision Intelligence's smart vision technology will help Lizhong Group optimize its magnesium alloy production processes, forming a closed loop of "material R&D - product application - technology iteration" and promoting the dual upgrade of humanoid robots toward "lightweighting + intelligence."​

Yongmaotai and Humanoid Robot Enterprise: Exploring Standards for Magnesium Alloy Parts​

On October 17, 2025, Yongmaotai (605208) reached a strategic cooperation with a leading domestic humanoid robot enterprise, focusing on the field of embodied AI robot actuators and joint parts, with magnesium alloy becoming the core direction of their joint R&D. As a leader in cast secondary aluminum alloy and parts for automotive applications, Yongmaotai will extend its expertise in magnesium alloy material forming and precision processing to the robotics sector. The company plans to launch cost-effective actuators and joint parts based on magnesium alloy in collaboration with its partner—components that must withstand high-frequency movement and external impact, where magnesium alloy's high strength and damping capacity can significantly enhance service life and stability. The two parties also plan to jointly establish industry standards for magnesium alloy robot parts to promote universal and standardized applications, while preparing to set up a Humanoid New Materials Research Institute to further explore performance optimization of magnesium alloy in robotics. However, the announcement notes that the cooperation is still in the framework stage, and the mass production of magnesium alloy parts and their contribution to performance remain uncertain.​

Guangxi Automobile Group: Magnesium Alloy Business Builds a New Ecosystem for Automotive Lightweighting

On October 22, 2025, Guangxi Automobile Group launched its lightweight magnesium alloy business at Chongqing Zhuotong, marking the official inclusion of magnesium alloy as a core support for its "Lingshi Project" strategy. As early as December 2024, the Group collaborated with Chongqing University on R&D for magnesium alloy application technology. In May 2025, it completed the trial production of a magnesium alloy instrument panel crossmember bracket (CCB) via semi-solid die-casting through Wuling Industry, achieving integrated innovation in "material-structure-mold." This component, after adopting magnesium alloy, saw its weight reduced by over 40% compared to traditional steel parts, while meeting automotive safety standards for strength. The core implementation unit, Chongqing Zhuotong, has established a full-process manufacturing system covering magnesium alloy semi-solid die-casting, precision machining, and dust-free spraying. Subsequently, it will build a magnesium alloy production line with an annual capacity of over 1.5 million units, which is expected to generate an additional annual revenue of over 100 million yuan upon operation. In the future, the Group will also integrate the combined application of magnesium alloy with steel, aluminum, plastic, and energy-absorbing materials to create diversified lightweight solutions, promoting the transformation of the automotive industry towards green and safe development.

JMC Yichi 01: Magnesium Alloy Wheel Hubs Lead the New Trend in Automotive Materials

The recently launched Yichi 01 (SC01) pure electric sports car by JMC's new energy division has become an industry focus as "the first domestic model to feature magnesium alloy wheel hubs as standard across the entire range." Priced at 229,800 yuan, this car model elevates the application of magnesium alloy from "parts" to a "core configuration." The standard 18-inch magnesium alloy wheel hubs, manufactured by Shanxi Yinguang Huasheng Magnesium Industry, utilize forging plus CNC machining processes, with a single hub weighing only 5.9 kg—approximately 25% lighter than aluminum alloy wheel hubs of the same size. This significantly reduces unsprung mass, enhancing vehicle handling and driving range. Additionally, the new car offers several personalized magnesium alloy wheel hub options, with the first batch of users eligible for free customization benefits. In terms of performance, the magnesium alloy wheel hubs, combined with a tubular space frame and carbon fiber seats, contribute to a curb weight of just 1,365 kg for the vehicle. Paired with a dual-motor powertrain, it achieves a 0-100 km/h acceleration time of 2.9 seconds and a CLTC driving range of 520 km, fully demonstrating the key role of magnesium alloy in improving overall vehicle performance and injecting strong momentum into the magnesium alloy market for automotive applications.

Summary: Future Outlook for Magnesium Alloy Reshaping the Industry Landscape

From lightweight parts for robots to core configurations in automobiles, magnesium alloy has become a critical material link connecting the automotive and robotics industries. Breakthroughs in magnesium alloy technology for robotics by Lizhong Group and Yongmaotai, along with the scaled application in the automotive industry by Guangxi Automobile Group and JMC's new energy division, not only showcase the diverse application scenarios of magnesium alloy but also indicate that it is expected to drive industries into a new stage of "material-driven innovation."In the future, with the optimization of magnesium alloy production processes, cost reduction, and the improvement of industry standards, its application in automotive lightweighting and robotic intelligence will further deepen, becoming one of the core drivers of global industrial upgrading.