How The 2016 Chevrolet Malibu Was Able To Shed So Much Weight
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The 2016 Chevrolet Malibu is of utmost importance for not just the Chevrolet brand, but General Motors as a whole. GM is focused on getting Chevrolet back in the car game, and hasn’t had a formidable challenger to the likes of Accord and Camry in many years. The 2016 Malibu looks the part, but the most important aspect may lie in the use of the Epsilon II platform.
The Epsilon II platform not only allows for a lengthier wheelbase, providing greater rear-seat space, but it was also the starting point for the car to go on a major weight loss. The 2016 Chevrolet Malibu has dropped nearly 300 pounds from its curb weight, a great achievement for a vehicle of this size. AutoGuide was able to understand further how Jesse Ortega, chief Malibu engineer, and his team managed such a colossal drop in weight.
Larger vehicles may tout their weight loss, but as we said, 300 pounds is a big deal when talking about a midsize sedan. There isn’t much heft to cut out initially, so engineers had to get crafty when approaching the 2016 Malibu. In fact, 120 pounds was removed from the actual structure itself.
The first piece of the weight loss puzzle is the absence of a V6 option. The car was engineered to exclusively offer four-cylinder engines, which means there’s no unnecessary weight sitting around if a particular car isn’t optioned with a V6 engine.
“One of the techniques we’ve been bringing forward is optimizing around lower variations. We weren’t going to try to be an architecture that could do everything, because at the end of the day you’re just carrying that mass,” said Ortega.
Ortega and the Malibu team used advanced computer modeling to pinpoint where the use of high strength steel was absolutely necessary, and where it could be avoided. This means lighter conventional steel makes up nearly the entire car, minus a few areas like the hood, which utilizes aluminum.
“We have a computer-aided approach, which we call multi-disciplinary optimization and you create the structure in math and then you run all the load cases, whether they’re crash, whether they’re stiffness, whether they’re structural, whatever they are, and then the computer goes in and says you can take mass out of here but you need to add here,” Ortega said.
With the help of computers and new efficient powertrains, the 2016 Malibu finally touts superb fuel economy, with the 2016 Malibu Hybrid offering greater efficiency than its main rivals. More importantly, though, the use of conventional steel translates to cost savings for the consumer. Foregoing pricey materials keeps the price lower, and creates a better value proposition to customers. And GM needs those customers more than ever.
We’ll be watching closely as the 2016 Chevrolet Malibu is scheduled to go on sale in the fourth-quarter of 2015.
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I read at a website that the 2016 Malibu cannot have all-wheel drive, as part of the weight reduction program. If this is true, I think it is a major mistake, because it reduces potential sales in areas of the country where it snows. FL
You are absolutely correct. AWD is a must have option. The weight penalty is nill if not optioned with AWD. The E2 platform is AWD ready. The Impala is AWD ready, it should have been an option there too. GM just won’t let Chevrolet customers check the box for the upsale. The person beating the No AWD for Chevrolet drum is a well known Buick-GMC enthusiast with a pretty strong anti-Chevrolet bias however. Keep that in mind when those lengthy posts come about.
Why did you sign off w/ “FL”? Are you trying to start a thing?
Can’t wait to rent one:)
Epsilon II is not a new platform. It’s been around since at least 2008. The 2016 Malibu will ride on a new E2XX platform. Epsilon II is nearly at the end of its lifecycle. Epsilon II will not, as this article [mis]states, underpin the new Malibu.
There was no V6 option in the previous Malibu. That would not have been a factor in accounting for weight loss in the ’16.
Hello. You may be correct about the previous Malibu having no V6 option (at least in the US), but it still rode on a platform that did support the V6 in earlier versions. Using that platform entailed having to live with additional weight that would not have been needed in a different platform designed specifically to support only I4 engines. And it is that different platform that the 2016 will be built on. The article was not talking about weight loss due to losing the additional weight of a V6 engine itself.
Rex thank you for the correct posted info. The internet CEO’s above really show they have some home work to do.
What they do not understand is this is a all new platform and car. No carry over things here. This one was designed to not have AWD to provide what this segment is all about value and economy.
Of the top ten in this segment I think only two of the cars offer AWD as an option and they sell a very low percentage at that. Price really hurt these cars when you add AWD.
Case in point the Fusion when loaded up with AWD can easily sticker over $40,000. Now look around and see what other cars are out there with AWD for that kind of price. Generally names that rate higher on the status scale than Ford or Chevy. Audi, Acura and others offer this as well for a little more an ATS Cadillac. Now you can see why AWD was not a priority.
When building a car in this segment you have to take each option and each feature and choose it carefully to reach the widest market and deliver the greatest value yet price the car where it will easily sell. Every time you add something you will have to leave something out.
Did you ever notice on the cheaper cars the ones with real leather have no smell. Well the sent cost money to put into the leather. They have to weigh do we cut some other feature to add the sent or is the sent low enough on the buyers scale we can use the money for something they will appreciate better.
Building and selling a high volume value car is difficult as hell as with more expensive models the little things are so easy to add with no second thoughts.
Lou and Frank Sorry for the long post but just trying to give you a leg up on understand what it takes to build a car. I am no smarter than you but I have been lucky enough to have been around Marketing people from the auto industry form GM, Ford and Chrysler. They really have shown me some things on the how and whys about building cars happen. Also with my marketing background you can see how some of these things come about too.
I personally would be ok with AWD if it really would make that great of a difference but here it would add more structure to this new platform that would hurt weight and add cost to the car to the point you may as well get the higher status name plate.
I also understand GM has more room to work as Ford only has one name out side Lincoln. GM has two and it can be used as an advantage to offer cars above the Chevys that can support a higher price once they get their new models in and fill the gap between Chevy and Cadillac.
So guys do your home work and get an idea of what all is going on and you too will understand this as I and many others do. We do more than voice our opinions here we state observations on what we see going on.
The Scott’s.. Scott3, who used to post here as simply Scott years ago (do a search and you’ll find his pro Buick – anti Chevy posts), bvonnScott, sierragScott. Stephen Marcus and Tyler were also a favorite for alternym’s. Same multipoint long posts which contain little factual information as always. Head to GMI and read the same things under the sierrags name. E2xx is a modified and updated E2. But hey,do whatever you can do to keep Chevrolet down there guy..
Tom, not sure if this was your assertion or possibly you were attributing it to the other poster, but E2XX is more than a modified and updated Epsilon II platform. It is the replacement for E2. Much lighter in weight and much more flexible — it also is the replacement for the Lambda crossover platform. If in doubt google it for yourself. E2XX is much more than a modified E2.
Tom knock off the bullshit.
Nothing for or against Buick but I am just a GM guy. I have never even owned a Buick.
So before you start attaciking some you damn well better get your facts correct.
You may start with the E2XX as it is all new. Rex has it right.
You are the one thing worst than a troll you are an idiot.
You want photos of my three Chevys, Pontiac and GMC? My dad was a Buick guy as I had little for them. Just not my kind of car. Nice car but nothing I would buy.
I do not even go to GMI and if I did it is not the same name as this is the only place I use my first name.
Just because you do not agree does not mean you are playing with reality.
For what it is worth this platform will also be used by Opel and Buick and I suspect they will add a different rear unit to the car for their all wheel drive units they will use.
I fully expect the E2XX to be fully capable as FWD and AWD in different applications. The larger version for the Lacrosse should be out next year and I expect it to be the first AWD.
And Tom I will not be buying one. LOL!
Funny how trolls hit and run then never back up their BS.