Sophia: OK, so steel bodywork versus aluminium bodywork.
Peter: What about pre-use, then?
Sophia: Well, I think it takes a lot of energy to produce aluminium, compared with steel, because aluminium's made by electrolysis.
Peter: Yeah. So steel's better, presumably.
Sophia: I think so, yeah. But, hang on a minute with aluminium, it depends how much is derive from ore, and how much is recovered from recycled material. As far as I know recycling aluminium takes less energy. So I'm not really sure.
Peter: Presumably, it'll be mixed, won't it? For a given batch, there'll be so much new material and so much recycled material.
Sophia: Probably, yeah. OK, so that needs to be researched, then.
Peter: Is car bodywork galvanised when it's made from steel?
Sophia: Um ... good question. I'm not sure.
Peter: lf it is, if it has to be coated with zinc, the that would take extra material and extra energy So that's an important consideration.
Sophia: Mm, true. OK, so that's another question to note.
Peter: Then there's the energy consumed when they're transporting bulk metal to the car plant
Sophia: Presumably aluminium takes less energy to transport, being lighter.
Peter: I'd say so, yeah.
Sophia: OK. What about manufacturing?
Peter: Well, aluminium would be lighter to handle wouldn't it? lt probably takes less energy to cut, as well.
Sophia: Yeah. Not sure whether it takes less energy to weld, compared with steel.
Peter: Cood question. Another thing to check out
Sophia: Mm, what about in-use, then? | assume aluminium's better because it's lighter, so you consume less fuel.
Peter: Yeah. And it should last longer, as well.
Sophia: Mm, is that an environmental consideration, though?
Peter: Well, yeah, because if things last longer, they need to be manufactured less often.