Tata Steel Nederland, in collaboration with an international consortium including Volkswagen Group and several research institutes, is developing a new generation of ultra-high-strength steel for automotive applications, the company said.
The project focuses on producing advanced steel grades for car body structures that enhance passenger safety while reducing energy consumption during manufacturing. The new steel can be formed at lower temperatures compared with conventional grades, lowering energy use in the pressing process.
In addition, the material can be coated with zinc, improving corrosion resistance, an advantage over current hot-stamped steels, which typically rely on aluminium-silicon coatings and offer more limited protection against rust.
The newly developed steel combines ultra-high strength with improved formability, enabling greater energy absorption in the event of a crash and thereby enhancing vehicle safety performance.
The innovation is also expected to streamline automotive manufacturing by reducing process steps, lowering equipment wear, and cutting maintenance and production costs.
The project, known as WarP-AHSS, is funded by the European Union and will run from 2023 to 2027, highlighting ongoing efforts within the European steel and automotive sectors to advance sustainable and high-performance materials.
Tata Steel Nederland is a subsidiary of the India-based Tata Steel Group, focusing on high-quality strip steel for demanding sectors such as automotive, construction, and packaging, with an annual crude steel production capacity of 7.5 mln tons per annum.
