Chevy Corvette’s new smart material

Chevy in releasing their new 2013 corvette created a new smart material to try and making the car lighter. This material replaces the heavier motorized actuator to open and close the hatch vent that releases air from the trunk with a new smart metal alloy. This allows the trunk lid to close more easily than on the previous models where trapped air could make the lid harder to close. It does this using smart memory alloys, made from copper aluminum and nickel. In the new Corvette, the shape memory alloy wire opens the hatch vent whenever the deck lid is opened, using heat from an electrical current s. When activated, the wire contracts and moves a lever arm to open the vent, allowing the trunk lid to close. Once the trunk lid is closed, the electrical current switches off, allowing the wire to cool and return to its normal shape, which closes the vent to maintain cabin temperature. This new material is about 2 pounds lighter than its predecessor. As well, this material is cheaper to produce, which saves the company money. In terms for the environment, it is beneficial because it uses less energy to maintain temperature in the car, which saves on lots of energy when you consider all the amount of cars that would be sold.