Chery and the HBIS metallurgical group have announced the rollout of a new hot-stamped automotive steel with a strength of 2,400 MPa. For the industry, that is a noticeable step up: mainstream hot-stamping solutions have typically sat in the 1,300–1,800 MPa range, and pushing beyond has usually run into the familiar trade-off between strength, ductility, and manufacturability.

The material is presented as a way to ease that constraint. The developers say the increase in strength comes without giving up workable formability or process stability—both essential for series production. Among the key effects they highlight are higher impact resistance in safety-critical parts, the potential to reduce thickness (and with it, vehicle mass), and a lower risk of the brittleness often associated with ultra-high-strength steels. If this balance holds on the production line, it tackles a long-standing headache for body-in-white engineers.

Where does it matter most? Hot-stamped steels underpin the safety cell: A- and B-pillars, door reinforcements, door-aperture components, floor crossmembers, and other areas that absorb crash energy. Chery reports the new grade is already being tried on real parts: for a door side-impact beam, the team has completed trial stampings, installation on a vehicle, and several validation cycles. The cited outcomes include stable mechanical properties, a controllable forming window, and precise geometry.

The next step is to expand use to other structural elements of the body. If the stated properties are confirmed in series production, manufacturers could end up with a rare combination: stronger safety performance without the usual weight penalty—a result that would be welcome on any cost and efficiency sheet.