Trend cluster
Category

Lightweight
Sustainability

Luxury auto brands seek to offer agile eco concepts for urban living.

Aerodynamic Solar CarsHollow Chassis MotorcyclesEco Carbon Fiber CarsHydrogen-Powered CarsCompact Hydrogen Cars

Trend

What is the Lightweight Sustainability trend?

Lightweight Sustainability: Luxury auto brands are adapting their vehicles to comply with changing consumer expectations around eco-consciousness. In addition to exploring electric avenues, many automotive brands are opting for alternative sources and methods of harnessing energy while maintaining as light a weight as possible. Beyond sustainability, the premise of such concepts speak to a desire to better and more successfully navigate congested urban environments.

Trend themes

Themes within the Lightweight Sustainability trend

Three behaviours holding the trend together
01

Lightweight Materials

Luxury auto brands are opting for alternative, lighter weight materials and methods of harnessing energy to comply with eco-conscious consumers' changing expectations. Opportunities abound for developing new sustainable cars that achieve design sophistication and performance in even the smallest urban spaces.

02

Alternative Power Sources

A number of luxury auto brands are exploring alternative power sources like hydrogen, solar, and fuel cell technology to produce vehicles that run cleaner, more quietly, and with you guessed it: zero emissions. This opens up vast opportunities to develop and offer more fuel-efficient cars without compromising performance.

03

Innovative Design

Given the growing demand for sustainable and eco-friendly transportation options, motorcycle and auto designers are increasingly focusing on more futuristic, and lightweight designs that can make everyday transportation more eco-friendly. Design innovations like hollow chassis, carbon fiber exteriors, and sleek aerodynamic shapes offers endless disruptive potential for creating new lightweight, eco-friendly cars and motorcycles.

Industry implications

What the Lightweight Sustainability trend means for industry

Where the trend changes the playbook
For

Automotive Manufacturing

The automotive manufacturing industry has vast creative and technological potential for producing sustainable and highly efficient models that can be mass-produced, fuel-efficient and cost-effective.

For

Energy Production

The energy production industry heavily impacts the automotive industry and offers opportunities to both harness new power sources and to improve access to existing ones in order to ensure sustainable, zero-emissions cars first become popular and eventually, the norm.

For

Sustainable Technology

The sustainable technology field has a tremendous potential for breakthroughs that can propel zero-emission vehicles from being a novelty to becoming more widely used. Investing in this field could make a significant difference in developing eco-friendly and efficient transportation worldwide.

Workshop question

What non-traditional methods can you use to improve your brand's sustainability?

Trend signals

Trend signals for Lightweight Sustainability

Trend score 3.7 out of 10, from popularity 43%, activity 59%, freshness 8%.

Popularity43%
Activity59%
Freshness8%
Audience
50%Men
50%Women
  • Gen Alpha (not a primary audience)
  • Gen Z
  • Millennial
  • Gen X
  • Boomer
Market
North America
Europe
Asia-Pacific
South America

Evidence

Examples of the Lightweight Sustainability trend

6 featured examples from Aug 15, 2015 to May 18, 2017
Aerodynamic Solar Cars
CategoryAutos

Aerodynamic Solar Cars

The Immortus Sports Car is Capable of Providing Unlimited Range

Disruptive innovation opportunity: Incorporating solar power and aerodynamic designs into mainstream vehicle production for improved efficiency and sustainability.

Hollow Chassis Motorcycles
CategoryAutos

Hollow Chassis Motorcycles

The BMW 'i Motorrad Beta|R' Motorcycle Concept Has Futuristic Touches

Automakers can explore innovative solutions that combine lightweight materials, hollow chassis designs, and magnetic suspension systems for better urban mobility and user experien…

Eco Carbon Fiber Cars
CategoryAutos

Eco Carbon Fiber Cars

The Riversimple 'Rasa' Hydrogen Fuel Cell Car Provides Enhanced Range

Disruptive innovation opportunity: Integration of hydrogen fuel cell technology in automotive manufacturing.

Hydrogen-Powered Cars
CategoryAutos

Hydrogen-Powered Cars

This Innovative Vehicle Offers Fuel Economy and Lightweight Structure

Opportunity for automakers to invest in research and development of hydrogen-powered cars, fuel-efficient technologies, and lightweight structures for vehicles.

Compact Hydrogen Cars
CategoryAutos

Compact Hydrogen Cars

The New Honda FCV Vehicle Gives Off Water Vapors Instead of Emissions

The development of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles like the Honda FCV offers disruptive innovation opportunities for automakers by providing a more sustainable and eco-friendly mode o…

Limited Edition Lightweight Coupes
CategoryAutos

Limited Edition Lightweight Coupes

BMW Will Only Make 750 of the New M240i M Performance Edition

Automotive manufacturers can explore limited edition production and the integration of carbon fiber in vehicle exteriors to offer unique and high-performance options to consumers.