The transition to electric mobility is transforming automotive engineering at a pace the industry rarely has experienced. As manufacturers quicken the pace toward battery-electric platforms, one engineering priority consistently rises to the surface: reducing weight while enhancing structural performance and safety.
Aluminum extrusions now stand out as integral to the realization of those objectives. From battery enclosures and space frames to crash management systems and thermal components, the modern architecture of electric vehicles is underpinned by extruded aluminum profiles.
As one of North America’s leading producers of both custom and standard aluminum extrusions, Can Art Aluminum Extrusion Canada Inc., works directly with automotive OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers to deliver precision-engineered components that meet the demands of a rapidly evolving industry.
This article explores why extruded aluminum has become indispensable to EV design, and how Can Art Aluminum Extrusion Canada Inc., supports this high-growth market.
Why Aluminum Has Become Central to Electric Vehicle Engineering
EV platforms put new stressors on vehicle structure: heavy battery packs, more severe safety demands, higher thermal loads, and the drive to maximize driving range. The inherent material advantages of aluminum make it uniquely suited to this environment.
Lightweighting Improves EV Range and Efficiency
As one of the lightest metals, aluminum is roughly one-third the density of steel, which makes it one of the most effective weight-saving materials. Reduction of mass directly improves the range by lowering the energy required for acceleration and maintaining speed.
Lightweighting also reduces structural loads, thus allowing smaller motors, brakes, and suspension components, further compounding efficiency improvements.
High Strength-to-Weight Ratio for Structural Components
Modern 6000-series automotive alloys, such as 6061, 6063, and 6082, exhibit excellent combinations of tensile strength, corrosion resistance, and extrudability. These combinations support a wide range of structural applications, including underbody reinforcements, cross-members, and body-in-white elements.
Superior Energy Absorption and Crashworthiness
According to the Aluminum Association, aluminum structures can absorb more crash energy per unit mass when compared to steel, making them ideal for impact management components in EVs. Controlled deformation characteristics improve occupant protection and safeguard high-voltage battery systems.
Thermal Management and Heat Dissipation
Battery modules, while charging and operating, generate heat. Thermal conductivity of the alloy is appropriate for structural parts such as battery trays, heat sinks, cooling plates, and thermal shielding.
Where Aluminum Extrusions Appear in Modern EVs
Extruded profiles offer some unique advantages over stamped or cast components, including continuous grain structure, hollow multi-chamber options, and tight dimensional accuracy.
The most important EV components using the technology of aluminum extrusion are listed below.
- EV Battery Enclosures and Trays
Among other structural parts, the battery enclosure is one of the most structurally demanding components in any EV. It has to be rigid, thermally stable, crash-resistant, and sealed against environmental exposure.
Extruded aluminum finds extensive applications in:
- Side rails and longitudinal beams
- Cross-members and stiffeners
- Battery tray perimeter frames
- Integrated cooling channels and heat sinks
Aluminum represents a balance of strength, rigidity, corrosion resistance, and thermal conductivity that few other materials can match. In fact, several EV platforms around the world, including those by Ford, Tesla, and General Motors, utilize aluminum-intensive battery housings.
- Aluminum Space Frames and Body-in-White Structures
Extruded aluminum allows for the manufacture of multi-hollow profiles, load-carrying beams, and structural reinforcements that act as a backbone to body-in-white systems. These include:
- Rocker panels
- Roof rails
- A- and B-pillar reinforcement sections
- Front and rear subframe elements
The space frame design in aluminum provides an optimum blend of stiffness with minimum mass to support both crashworthiness and ride dynamics.
- Crash Management Systems
Crash management in EVs is becoming more challenging as it must consider occupant protection along with the protection of high-voltage systems.
Extruded aluminum is widely used in:
- Crush cans
- Front and rear bumper beams
- Side-impact energy absorption structures
Extrusions can be engineered to deform in predictable ways, thus providing reliable and consistent crash response.
- Thermal Management Components
EV battery performance depends heavily on temperature control. High conductivity of aluminum supports efficient heat dissipation in:
- Cooling plates
- Heat sinks
- Battery module heat spreaders
- Power electronic housings
Extrusions can be produced with integrated channels or fins to optimize cooling performance without adding unnecessary mass.
Why Extruded Aluminum Is Ideal for EV Applications
Design Flexibility
Extrusions enable complex, multi-functional shapes, directly integrating mounting points, channels, and internal webs into a single profile, that reduce assembly steps and machining requirements.
Repeatable Precision
Extruded components have tight dimensional control that allows for automated assembly and vehicle integration.
Corrosion Resistance
Natural oxide layers and optional anodizing provide long-term protection in demanding environments.
Compatibility with IATF 16949 Automotive Quality Requirements
The Windsor plant of Art maintains the IATF 16949:2016 certification to ensure quality management systems compliant with automotive standards.
Why Aluminum Is Used in Electric Vehicles: Common Questions
Why is aluminum used in electric vehicles?
Its light weight, strength, corrosion resistance, crash energy absorption, and thermal conductivity make it uniquely suited for EV structures, battery enclosures, and thermal systems.
How does lightweighting improve EV range?
Lower vehicle mass reduces energy consumption per kilometre, thereby permitting longer range from the same battery pack.
The following are some advantages of an aluminum battery enclosure.
It provides rigidity, corrosion resistance, thermal conductivity, and excellent crash performance, keeping the total system weight low.
What EV parts are made from aluminum extrusions?
The most common examples include battery tray frames, cross-members, bumper beams, crush cans, rocker reinforcements, heat sinks, cooling channels, and structural beams.
Can Art Aluminum Extrusion Canada Inc., play a role in supporting the Electric Vehicle Industry?
With vertically integrated extrusion, fabrication, and finishing capabilities, Can Art Aluminum Extrusion Canada Inc., is well-positioned to support the growing EV market.
Our Markets Served
Can Art Aluminum Extrusion Canada Inc., provides extrusions to a wide range of sectors including:
- Architectural – Structural and decorative building features
- Automotive – Advanced extrusions for lightweight, high-strength vehicle structures
- Consumer Products – Furniture, alternative energy systems, and custom components
- Distribution – Standard profiles with tighter tolerances than industry specifications
A North American Leader in Aluminum Extrusion
- Privately owned Canadian company specialising in custom and standard aluminum profiles.
- Renowned for quality, speed of service, and continuous investment in capacity.
- A state-of-the-art 45,000 sq. ft. anodizing facility in Mississauga.
- IATF 16949:2016 certification at our Windsor plant.
- 110,000 sq. ft. head office and plant, and a 190,000 sq. ft. facility near Detroit, Michigan.
- Millions of pounds of LEED-compliant recycled billet processed per year to drive sustainable manufacturing.
- Operational growth, from a single press in 1988 to multiple presses and plants across North America.
Shaping the Future of EV Manufacturing
Can engineering teams at Art collaborate with OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers to:
- Optimize profile geometry for lightweight strength
- Select appropriate 6000-series alloys for demanding automotive environments
- Ensure manufacturability through early DfM support
- Deliver complex fabrication, machining, and finishing requirements
- Meet rigorous automotive standards in quality, consistency, and traceability
Conclusion
As EV architectures continue to evolve, aluminum extrusions are set to remain foundational to lightweighting, safety, thermal management, and structural performance. Their combination of strength, precision, and design flexibility makes them essential to the next generation of electric mobility. With decades of extrusion experience, supported by advanced facilities and a commitment to automotive quality, Can Art Aluminum Extrusion Canada Inc., continues to support the industry’s shift to lighter, more efficient, and more sustainable vehicles.
