Automotive

Superior power and signal-distribution conductors

Optimize your electrical architecture

Copperweld’s Automotive and Transportation Wire product line of stranded, bare and insulated conductors provide the strongest, lightest, most reliable and cost-efficient copper-clad steel (CCS) and copper-clad aluminum (CCA) conductors that function efficiently in coaxial cable, primary wire, and battery and high voltage cable applications as well as other specialty needs.

Copperweld’s CCS has superior impact strength with two times the tensile break-load strength of solid copper.  Whether hard drawn or fully annealed, the carbon steel core gives the product its legendary resiliency, strength, and flexibility to accommodate harsh conditions in the assembly plant or out in the field. 

The linear weight of our CCS is more than 10% lighter than solid copper which equates to lower overall weight and ease of installation.  Low energy circuits are often sized for mechanical strength and not electrical load, the superior strength of Copperweld CCS allows engineers to specify smaller diameter wires providing additional weight savings and reduction in harness bundle diameters.

Copperweld’s CCA is created from our patented cold-cladding technology to permanently bond lightweight, flexible aluminum wire to a concentric layer of highly conductive copper, combining the best qualities of both metals.  

CCA has remarkable conductivity-to-weight ratio, at only 37% of the density of pure copper, making CCA more efficient to transport, handle and install. As pliable as solid copper, Copperweld’s CCA metallurgically bonds 8000 Series aluminum with oxygen-free copper in a cladding process that is absent of any insulating oxides which is present with pure aluminum. This makes electrical connections with our wires more thermally stable, safer, and reliable than pure aluminum.

Select a Product

Coaxial Cable

CCS Central Core Conductors

Copperweld’s coaxial central core product line of CCS conductors provide coaxial cable manufacturers with the strongest, most reliable medium for specialty coaxial cable designs.

  • Product range: 0.13 mm2 / 0.16 mm2
  • Conductivity: CCS 40%
  • Temper: Hard drawn
  • Tensile Strength (N/mm2): 770 / 770
  • Max DC Resistance at 20° C (Ω/km): 317 / 280
  • Construction: 7-Strand CCS / 1-Strand CCS

Resistance Wire

High-strength, Corrosion-resistant CCS

Copperweld’s CCS resistance wire provides significant benefits over typical coppery alloys in tensile strength and break-load strength, making them the perfect choice for applications that involve stretching, bending, beating, heat and humidity. Our wire is available in both SAE and ISO wire sizes, annealed or hard-drawn.

  • Product range: 36 AWG
  • Conductivity: CCS 40%
  • Temper: Hard drawn and annealed
  • Tensile Strength (lbs): 0.937
  • Max DC Resistance at 20° C (Ω/km): 1,058
  • Construction: 1-Strand CCS
  • Available in ISO and SAE sizes

Primary Wire

Lightweight, Resilient, and Efficient CCS and CCA

Copperweld’s suite of CCS and CCA primary wire provides engineers with a better alternative to optimize vehicle electrical architectures. Our wire is available in both SAE and ISO wire sizes, bare or insulated in PVC or XLPE, annealed or hard-drawn in 10% and 15% copper volumes (CCA) or 40% conductivity (CCS).

  • Common Sizes (CCS): 0.13mm2 (26 AWG) to 0.50mm2 (20 AWG)
  • Common Sizes (CCA): 0.50mm2 (20 AWG) to 8mm2 (8 AWG)
  • Conductivity (CCS): CCS 40%
  • Copper Volume (CCA): 10 - 15%
  • Temper: Hard drawn and annealed
  • Available in ISO and SAE sizes
  • Reference table on product page for more information

High-Voltage Cable

Lightweight, Resilient, and Efficient CCS and CCA

Copperweld’s suite of CCA conductors can reduce cable weight up to 40% and optimize energy efficiencies of the entire architecture, generating less heat. Our wire is available in both SAE and ISO wire sizes, bare or insulated, annealed or hard-drawn in 10% and 15% copper volumes (CCA).

  • Common Sizes: 12mm2 to 120mm2
  • Copper Volume: 10 - 15%
  • Temper: Hard drawn and annealed
  • Tensile: 30 psi
  • Available in ISO and SAE sizes
  • Reference table on product page for more information

Battery Cable

Bare and finished CCA conductors

Copperweld’s suite of CCA conductors can reduce cable weight up to 40% and optimize energy efficiencies of the entire architecture, generating less heat. Our wire is available in both SAE and ISO wire sizes, bare or insulated, annealed or hard-drawn in 10% and 15% copper volumes (CCA).

  • Common Sizes: 12mm2 to 120mm2
  • Copper Volume: 10 - 15%
  • Temper: Hard drawn and annealed
  • Tensile: 30 psi
  • Available in ISO and SAE sizes
  • Reference table on product page for more information

Copperweld Automotive Benefits

Strength & Resiliency

Copperweld CCS's high-carbon steel core provides strength, flexibility and the ability to stretch more than 15% — perfect for applications subject to repetitive motion.

Lightweight

The linear weight of our CCS is more than 10% lighter than solid copper which can help lower overall vehicle weight, save on freight expenses and improve the ease of installation.

Connectivity

Copperweld CCA provides the weight savings achievable with aluminum wiring while offering the added convenience of standard copper connection sytems.

Energy Efficient

Equivalently sized Copperweld CCA provides a larger cross-sectional area, resulting in overall operating temperatures, which can improve long-term reliability.

Corrosion Resistance

Appropriately insulated Copperweld CCS is perfectly suited for severe environmental conditions involving salt, water and typical under-hood contaminants.

Theft Deterrent

Reduce costly in-factory wire theft. Copperweld’s metallurgically bonded conductors have extremely low street value, making it unattractive to copper thieves. 

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