With the blockade in the Strait of Hormuz, a ton of aluminum jumped from US$ 3,220 to US$ 6,100 in one year; automakers already project billionaire extra costs.
The escalation of tensions in the Middle East and the consequent blockade of critical trade routes, such as the Strait of Hormuz, have imposed a new bottleneck on the global automotive industry in 2026. The trigger for the crisis lies in the skyrocketing price of aluminum — an essential raw material for modern vehicles, whose production cost threatens to be passed on to the final consumer on a global scale. The pressure, however, is not restricted to the metal: petroleum products, steel and copper follow a similar trajectory, raising the cost of production between US$ 500 and US$ 1,500 per unit.
According to data from The Wall Street Journal, the value of the metal has risen 90% in the last year. The movement is driven by a combination of import tariffs and the direct impact of the conflict involving the United States, Israel and Iran on the flow of exports from the Persian Gulf, a region responsible for about 20% of the global supply of aluminum.
SEE ALSO:
According to S&P Global, the price per ton of aluminum jumped from $3,220 to $6,100 in just twelve months. Given the scenario, Ford, for example, revised its projection for spending on commodities to US$ 2 billion in 2025. In chorus, General Motors and Stellantis forecast a joint increase of up to US$ 5 billion in spending on materials by the end of 2026.
The sector now faces the challenge of passing on these values. With global demand weakened in the first quarter of 2026 and an ongoing fuel crisis, further price hikes could drive away buyers. With no viable alternatives to replace aluminum in the short term – a process that would require billionaire factory reformulations – automakers operate on the edge between absorbing losses and the risk of sales stagnating in a saturated market.
