Automotive Weight Reduction with CCA

Background

Modern vehicles contain over 3 km of wiring, with harnesses weighing up to 50 kg. As automakers face strict emissions targets under Euro 7 and EPA Tier 4 standards, weight reduction in every subsystem has become critical. A Global Tier-1 Automotive Supplier, producing wiring harnesses for over 2 million vehicles annually, sought a copper replacement that could deliver real weight savings without compromising reliability or increasing assembly complexity.

The Challenge

The client required a copper replacement that would:

• Maintain electrical performance for 0.35 mm²–2.5 mm² signal and low-power circuits
• Be fully compatible with existing crimp terminals and production tooling
• Resist galvanic corrosion at copper-to-copper termination points
• Pass full automotive validation including ISO 6722, vibration, salt spray, and thermal cycling

The Solution: Raytron CCA Automotive Wire

We supplied our CCA automotive wire range with the following specifications:

• Construction: Aluminum core with solid copper cladding (15% volume ratio), delivering a surface that is electrically and mechanically identical to solid copper
• Size range: 0.35 mm²–2.5 mm², covering the full spectrum of signal and low-power circuits
• Standard compliance: ISO 6722 compliant; surface supports standard copper-compatible crimp terminals with optimized crimp height for the aluminum core
• Corrosion protection: Metallurgical bond between copper and aluminum eliminates inter-layer galvanic corrosion, ensuring long-term termination reliability

Results

• Weight Reduction: 15% lighter harness overall compared to full-copper equivalents
• Cost Savings: 8% reduction in BOM cost per vehicle
• Fuel Efficiency: 2% improvement in fuel economy attributable to weight savings
• Validation: Passed all automotive validation tests including 1,000-hour salt spray, vibration, and thermal cycling per ISO 6722