Background Lightweight vehicles have a strategic role to play in EU environmental policy. Lightweight aluminium alloys have widely started to be adopted, the current frontier for light components. Massive and complex-shaped components are produced by cast aluminium, which competes with the heavier cast iron and preferable magnesium alloys, which though much lighter require the use of gases, such as the sulphur hexafluoride, in the casting process. This gas is an extremely potent greenhouse gas that is also risky and expensive for industries. While automakers are pushed by stringent EU policies to produce light vehicles for reducing emissions, there is no evidence to suggest that light components reduce total CO2 emissions over their entire lifecycle. The environmental costs of the aluminium and magnesium casting process completely nullify the environmental benefits of a lightweight component. Objectives The LIFE CRAL project’s main objective is to design and create a pilot line on a pre-industrial scale, which is able to produce high-quality, lightweight components from recycled low-purity (The specific objectives of the project are to: Design, build, set up and monitor an innovative pilot line for producing braking system components using semi-solid technology for casting; Substantially reduce the emissions caused by the production of alloys by substituting it with recycled aluminium and ECO-Mg; Completely avoid highly polluting gases in the magnesium casting process; and Conduct analyses of the environmental technology impacts and a Life Cycle Assessment, in order to evaluate the entire ‘cradle-to-exit’ environmental impacts of the project’s process. Furthermore, LIFE CRAL aims to influence the eco-labelling legislation given that it aims to replace aluminium and magnesium products with eco-compatible materials. The replacement of conventional aluminium and magnesium with recycled aluminium and ECO-Mg is in line with the Commission’s strategy of reducing pressure on primary resources (such as raw materials) and on critical raw materials. Expected results: A) Technical results: The setting up and demonstration of an innovative pre-industrial process to produce: Samples of braking system components, by using recycled low-purity aluminium with the same or superior mechanical performance as conventionally cast products, in order to achieve tensile strength and ductility of new components that are equal or better than series components; and Parts for vehicles produced with the new ECO-Mg processed with semi-solid technology. B) Environmental results that compare favourably to current industrial supply-chain of aluminium alloys: Elimination of the potential for acidification of any chemicals currently used in primary aluminium production; Elimination of Photochemical Ozone Creation Potential, which is produced by the reaction of NOx and volatile organic compounds under the influence of UV light; Reduction of water scarcity footprint; and Reduction of at least 85% of the CO2 emissions; C) Environmental results that compare favourably with current industrial supply-chain of ECO-Mg alloys: Reduction of at least 60% of CO2 emissions.D) Policy, transferability and market: A contribution to the introduction of the demonstrated technology in other industries and the raising of awareness of policy-makers of the environmental costs of the metal alloys in terms of cradle-to-grave lifecycle as outlined in the EU Circular Economy policy package.