Constellium, Paris, France announced the successful completion of the FlexCAR project in partnership with ARENA2036, Germany’s innovation campus for future mobility and production. The five-year, publicly funded initiative brought together leading organizations—including Mercedes-Benz, Siemens, Bosch, and the German Aerospace Center—to explore reconfigurable, modular vehicle architectures.
As part of the project, Constellium developed a modular sill structure using high-strength aluminum extrusions based on its HSA6™ alloy series. Engineered to accommodate various powertrains—including battery electric and hydrogen fuel cell systems—the design improves crash safety, lowers carbon footprint, and enables greater flexibility for evolving vehicle platforms. The aluminum extrusions also incorporate a significant percentage of recycled content, aligning with sustainability goals.
The company emphasized that modular design paired with advanced aluminum materials can extend vehicle lifespans, improve adaptability, and reduce environmental impact. The project is a continuation of Constellium’s long-standing collaboration with ARENA2036, following their work on the Digital Fingerprint project, completed in 2024.
In the earlier initiative, Constellium developed a digital twin of an aluminum component embedded with sensors to monitor performance from production through real-world use. Installed in a Mercedes-Benz test vehicle, the smart aluminum housing enabled crash data collection and lifecycle tracking, supporting predictive maintenance and connected manufacturing strategies.
Constellium supplies rolled and extruded aluminum solutions globally, helping automotive manufacturers reduce vehicle weight and improve efficiency. The company noted that ongoing collaborations such as FlexCAR reinforce its commitment to innovation, modularity, and sustainable mobility.
Read further here: https://www.constellium.com/news/constellium-modular-innovation-smart-aluminum-automotive-structures-arena2036
