Your Next EV Could Be Lighter: Mingyue Lake Lab Creates Magnesium Wheels to Cut Weight | Future, Made Here

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Chongqing - What if a metal could become smarter? A research laboratory in southwest China is exploring how AI and cutting-edge technologies can reshape magnesium production and push the lightweight material beyond traditional processing.

Mingyue Lake Laboratory, based in Chongqing Liangjiang New Area, is one of four major laboratories established by the municipality. It is also included among the more than 20 strategic innovation platforms under Chongqing's "20-30-60" framework, which links research platforms with over 30 priority technology areas and at least 60 major scientific and industrial outcomes.

The laboratory's work supports Chongqing's "33618" modern manufacturing cluster system— a policy framework covering three leading industries, three pillar industries, six sectors with distinctive local strengths, and 18 emerging industries.

AI takes the guesswork out of magnesium innovation

Magnesium is the lightest structural metal currently used in industry. China holds about 70% of the world's magnesium reserves and produces roughly 90% of global output. However, Chongqing's magnesium industry has historically focused on lower-value raw materials and preliminary processing.

Mingyue Lake Laboratory is working to increase the value of the resource by developing magnesium alloys, batteries, hydrogen storage systems, and automotive components.

One of the laboratory's key innovations is an AI-powered platform for the design of magnesium materials. It draws on more than 500,000 scientific publications and patents, 3 million alloy-structure datasets, and a lightweight-alloy large language model trained on 140 million scientific documents.

Researchers previously relied heavily on repeated physical experiments to identify suitable material compositions. The platform allows engineers to enter performance requirements and receive recommended alloy formulations, increasing research efficiency by more than 50%.

The facility has also developed an ampere-hour-level magnesium-ion battery. The laboratory said its production cost could be about 4% of a lithium-ion battery's and that its chemistry reduces the risk of fire. After 19,000 charge-and-discharge cycles, the battery retained 88.3% of its capacity, according to laboratory data.

Another research direction is solid-state magnesium hydrogen storage. The laboratory said magnesium particles weighing about 100 grams can store hydrogen at a high density, with the technology intended to reduce reliance on large high-pressure tanks in hydrogen-powered vehicles.

Lab’s magnesium breakthrough drives lighter cars

Automotive lightweighting is currently among the laboratory's closest links to industrial production.

Its researchers have developed the world's largest magnesium-alloy automotive die-casting component. The part is 32% lighter than a comparable aluminum-alloy component and has been installed in mass-produced vehicles made by Chongqing-based automaker SERES.

The laboratory is also developing magnesium-alloy wheels using semi-solid injection molding, a process in which partially solidified metal is injected into a mold to produce a part close to its final shape.

Jiang Bin, deputy director of the National Engineering Research Center for Magnesium Alloys and head of the laboratory's Institute of Lightweight Materials and Engineering, said the method could address the cost and efficiency limitations of forged magnesium wheels.

"Forging is a form of plastic processing with a long production process and high costs," Jiang said. "With semi-solid injection molding, the material cost can be about 25% lower than that of aluminum alloy, while the production process is simpler and allows near-net shaping."

Jiang said the research team had worked on both alloy composition and manufacturing parameters and could now produce wheels ranging from 16 to 21 inches.

A 16-inch magnesium wheel developed by the team weighs about 8 kilograms and is 30% lighter than an aluminum wheel of the same size. Four such wheels could reduce an electric vehicle's weight by at least 10 kilograms, according to project data.

Following engineering trials, the technology could enter mass production in new models from SERES, Changan Automobile and FAW as early as next year.

China's average use of magnesium alloy per vehicle is currently about 5 kilograms. Changan vehicles use approximately 10 kilograms, while Seres models use more than 20 kilograms, according to the laboratory.

"If semi-solid injection-molded magnesium wheels can be used in complete vehicles, the level of lightweighting will improve further," Jiang said. With additional applications in electric-drive housings, inner door panels and rear floor structures, he added, magnesium use in Chongqing-brand vehicles could eventually exceed 100 kilograms per vehicle and potentially reach 150 kilograms.

Mingyue Lake Laboratory has a research team of 719 people, led by Academician Pan Fusheng of the Chinese Academy of Engineering. It operates eight major research platforms and has produced six original research outcomes that are particularly relevant to Chongqing.

The laboratory has received 59 invention patents and participated in the development or revision of six international standards and three national standards. It has also established six joint research centers with 10 companies, including China Baowu Steel Group and SERES.

A new-materials industrial fund of more than 1.2 billion yuan (about 177 million U.S. dollars) has also been established with partners including Minmetals Jintong Equity Investment Fund Management to support the commercialization of research results.