Lucid received awards in several categories, including Responsible AI and Sustainable Computing.

In the former category, Lucid engineers used Altair PhysicsAI to predict crash modes. “[They] transformed crash CAE by applying AI-driven insights to predict complex, nonlinear deformation behaviors under realistic off-axis and oblique impact scenarios,” explains Mahalingam. “This approach reduced design iterations, minimizing prototype reliance, and accelerating delivery of lightweight, crash-robust structures with high safety confidence.

“This scalable methodology was applied across multiple crash-critical components and contributed to sustainability by minimizing material use, reducing test waste, and supporting corporate decarbonization goals,” Mahalingam points out.

Lucid was also honored for design-driven structural assessment to enable accelerated product development. Using Altair SimSolid’s meshless solver, engineers ran rapid design iterations directly within their CAD environment, eliminating the need for complex meshing or switching tools. The highly customizable workflow streamlined setup and enabled them to optimize designs with greater speed and ease.

Chery Automobile Co. was honored for its use of low-carbon recycled aluminum. The initiative uses 100 percent recycled aluminum in a closed-loop system with over 99 percent impurity removal and employs heat-treatment-free integrated die-casting, cutting manufacturing energy by up to 95 percent. “Achieving over 80 percent reduction in raw-material carbon emissions, it meets global low-carbon standards while maintaining strength and safety, and fosters collaborative ecosystems for scalable green manufacturing,” says Mahalingam.

Geely and Syensqo received an Enlighten Award for the Amodel PPA Stator Cooling System. “Geely engineers improved e-motor efficiency with an innovative stator cooling design, achieving 47 percent weight and 36 percent cost savings vs. metal,” notes Mahalingam. “The metal-to-plastic conversion reduces weight, enables part integration, and streamlines high-volume assembly through injection molding, laser welding and snap fits.”

NIO and AkzoNobel were cited for a bottom plate coating for battery packs (see photo above). “[Engineers] extended the lifespan of the bottom plate coating from 5 to 15 years while reducing coating thickness by 90 percent, cutting vehicle weight by 2.2 kilograms and pioneering powder coating technology for electric vehicles,” says Mahalingam. “The innovation replaced nonrecyclable materials with recyclable alternatives, eliminated VOC emissions and improved coating efficiency by 55 percent, delivering significant sustainability benefits.”