Volkswagen Group has developed a new press hardening methodology for high-performance steel, known as SIBORA®, which enables the creation of components with differentiated strength and ductility properties from a single steel alloy. This technology won Swedish Steel Prize 2025 and represents a potential game changer in the design of electric vehicle body structures, where weight optimization and crash energy management are critical factors.
Currently, to produce components with differentiated mechanical behavior (rigid zones for structural integrity and ductile zones for energy absorption), manufacturers must combine and weld different materials. The SIBORA® process overcomes this limitation: through a three-step thermal treatment applied to a single press-hardened steel sheet, it is possible to create zones with tailored microstructures and mechanical properties.
Local modulation of the microstructure allows for High-strength zones, intended to maintain structural integrity and High-ductility zones, designed to absorb crash energy. With their holistic approach the Volkswagen Group and their partners have developed a press hardening process to obtain different high strength and high ductility properties out of one single steel alloy. Their patented method will provide unique advantages when optimizing future car body structures, in terms of weight and performance and with an unshakable focus on safety,” says Eva Petursson, chair of the Swedish Steel Prize jury and head of SSAB’s research and innovation.
Implications for Electric Vehicles
In the context of electric mobility, reducing structural weight directly impacts vehicle efficiency and battery range. The use of components optimized via SIBORA® can contribute to lowering overall vehicle mass, reducing energy consumption per kilometer and enhancing passive safety without resorting to composites or multi-material combinations. Moreover, using a single alloy simplifies procurement, welding, and end-of-life recycling, lowering production costs and complexity.
The SIBORA® process is designed to be integrated into existing hot forming lines, with the addition of localized thermal control. This enables high industrial scalability and shorter development cycles for new structural components. The result is a flexible approach suitable for various vehicle segments, offering clear benefits in energy efficiency and crash performance.
