This hardbound volume covers Symposia J 'Light-Weight Materials for Transportation' and E 'Material Aspects for Electric Vehicles including Batteries and Fuel Cells' which were presented at the combined 1997 International Conference on Applied Materials/European Materials Research Society Spring meeting (ICAM'97/E-MRS'97) held in Strasbourg (France) from 16-20 June 1997.

Modern materials are the basis for further progress in industry and in our life. Among them the light-advanced materials with desired ratios of weight/properties and cost/properties are of special value for transportation for almost all applications. Progress in this area depends on cooperation and development of metallurgy, casting and solidification techniques, plastic and superplastic deformation, heat and surface treatment. When dealing with common alloys there are well-defined materials with a wide data base available. However, designing materials based on composites still requires thorough research in order to establish data bases to avoid not only high costs, but also inefficient designs and less than optimal structures. But, however difficult and problematic the composites are they bear the inherent potential of new materials.

Materials science in the field of light materials is now transforming from an empirical approach to a more quantitative scientific stage. The revolution in materials has begun with the emergence of supercomputer simulation and computer-enhanced quantitative microscopic image analysis.

The advanced materials applied previously in the defence and aerospace area should expand over the commercial market including air transportation and civil engineering. The new generation of modern cars and trains as well as aircraft (Boeing 777) are good examples for the application of new materials.