Andrea Stroppa, shareholder of Tesla, SpaceX, Neuralink and xAI, considered to be ‘Musk’s man’ in Italy, issues a warning about the European car industry. According to him, the crisis does not stem from electric motors but from production methods:‘The crisis of cars in Europe does not stem from electric motors, but from how they are assembled‘. Stroppa criticises in particular the obsolete techniques still in use, which cause enormous waste.‘The car manufacturers that prosper use an innovative assembly technique called die casting. Who invented it? An Italian company now in Chinese hands,’ he said.

In Italy, Stroppa tried to make the Ministry of Enterprise and Made in Italy (MIMIT) led by Adolfo Urso aware of the need to dialogue with Italian die-casting pioneers to create a ‘national champion’ capable of relaunching the sector. However, according to him, his proposals went unanswered. ‘Words left in the air,’ he says literally.

Die-casting technology

Die casting, the focus of Stroppa’s proposals, is an innovative technique that allows large aluminium components to be produced in a single piece. Developed by the Italian company Idra Group, this technology drastically reduces production time and costs.

Giga Presses, die-casting machines as tall as a four-storey building, make it possible to replace up to 160 welded components with two single parts, one for the front and one for the rear of a car. According to Riccardo Ferrario, managing director of Idra Group, the advantages are many: less logistics, fewer welding robots, higher quality, shorter production times and lighter vehicles.

Recent market analysis, as reported by GlobeNewswire, shows that integrated die casting is gaining ground, with Tesla leading the way in this manufacturing revolution. Since Elon Musk’s company introduced a 6000-tonne Giga Press, other manufacturers have followed suit. Car manufacturers such as BYD and NIO are rapidly implementing this technology, while Stellantis and Volkswagen have only recently started their own integrated die-casting programmes. The interest is not limited to the manufacturers themselves: demand is leading to the growth of third-party foundries specialising in die casting, which, according to experts, will dominate the market in the long term. Competition is accelerating the development of die casting machines, with new designs for even more powerful presses of up to 8000 tonnes.

A missed opportunity for Italy?

Despite its global success, the Idra Group, although born in Italy, is now Chinese-owned. This, for Stroppa, represents a major missed opportunity for the Italian industrial system.‘A national excellence that could have relaunched the automotive sector has slipped through the cracks,’ he commented.

Ferrario, on the other hand, looks ahead optimistically: ‘Like when we were farriers and didn’t realise that horses were no longer needed, we are now winning the game because we chose to evolve in advance.

The criticalities of die-casting

Die-casting is a promising technology, but not without its challenges. Some experts report problems with the formation of porosity in components, which can affect structural integrity and mechanical strength. Moreover, the process is only cost-effective for large-scale production due to high initial costs for machinery and moulds. Finally, part design is subject to technical restrictions, such as uniform thicknesses and specific angles, which may limit design flexibility.

GlobeNewswire’s insights add further complexity to the picture. The rapid development of die casting is leading to a concentration of the industry in a few specialised players. These players, especially in China, are gaining a strong position, while in Europe the industry is struggling to keep up. This shift towards a market dominated by third parties could limit the strategic autonomy of European manufacturers, increasing dependence on external suppliers.

A hypothesis to be explored

Stroppa’s opinion highlights a crucial issue: Europe is being called upon to rethink its production processes in order to compete with giants such as Tesla and Chinese manufacturers. Die-casting could be an effective answer, but it requires careful evaluation to see whether it can adapt to the needs of European industry and the more diverse production models.

The rapid advancement of specialised third-party foundries also raises questions about technological and industrial control in the long term. However,innovation remains a priority. The challenge for Europe is to seize these opportunities without losing sight of the complexities of the market and the specificities of its industrial realities.