Building a Safer, Lighter, and More Eco-Friendly Future for Vehicles
SALIENT: Novel Concepts for Safer, Lighter, Circular and Smarter Vehicle Design
Project dates: Sep 2022 – Aug 2025
Consortium: 12 partners across Europe
Funding body: HORIZON EUROPE
Project overview
The SALIENT project aims to develop safer, lighter, and more sustainable automotive structures by integrating circular and crash-compatible design concepts for electric vehicles.
The project aims to enhance vehicle crashworthiness and environmental sustainability by using hybrid materials, advanced modeling, and simulation techniques. These efforts seek to address the challenges of increased CO2 emissions associated with electric vehicle manufacturing.
Challenge: Why is the project needed?
The SALIENT project addresses the urgent need to reduce the environmental impact of electric vehicle (EV) manufacturing. As the demand for EVs grows, lightweight materials and sustainable designs are essential to minimise energy consumption and enhance crashworthiness. SALIENT’s objective is to create front-end vehicle structures that not only improve safety and compatibility in varied traffic conditions but also significantly cut down on emissions, thereby paving the way for a more sustainable automotive industry.
Project approach
The SALIENT consortium, comprising universities, research centres and industry partners, is working together to develop hybrid aluminium-carbon and CFRP materials for use in lightweight vehicle structures. The objective of the SALIENT consortium is to create a Front-End Structure (FES) that will reduce vehicle weight by up to 75% by integrating these materials. The project’s key deliverables include virtual crash testing, multi-material design optimisation, and the creation of prototypes of eco-friendly front-end vehicle structures. Furthermore, the project utilises sophisticated simulation tools to verify the crash safety and energy absorption capabilities of the materials. It is anticipated that these outputs will facilitate the automotive sector’s transition to more sustainable practices, including the implementation of circular economy principles, the use of recyclable materials, and the exploration of cost-effective manufacturing processes.
Impact
SALIENT’s innovative solutions are set to reduce vehicle front-end weight by 75%, significantly lowering energy consumption and improving fuel efficiency. The project has already demonstrated improved crash safety and sustainability through its hybrid material designs, with prototypes currently under evaluation. These developments are in line with EU sustainability objectives, with the potential to reduce CO₂ emissions in the manufacture of electric vehicles. Moreover, SALIENT’s contributions assist the automotive industry in meeting regulatory compliance and preparing for future developments in green transportation.
Future Outlook: Long-term sustainability benefits
The project encourages the use of recyclable, eco-friendly materials and supports the adoption of circular design practices, with the aim of delivering long-term environmental benefits. By reducing the weight and emissions associated with vehicle manufacturing, SALIENT is positioned to make a significant contribution to the development of a more sustainable EV industry. The insights and technologies developed are likely to be instrumental for manufacturers seeking to meet stricter EU regulations and environmental targets. Looking ahead, it is anticipated that SALIENT’s innovations will become standard in the automotive industry, enhancing vehicle safety and sustainability on a large scale.
Project partners
