Ford Motor and Dow Automotive Systems are partnering to research the use of advanced carbon fiber composites in high-volume vehicles.
The automaker said that, reducing the weight of new cars and trucks by up to 750 lbs by the end of the decade is a main component of its aim to improve fuel efficiency.
Ford chief technical officer and vice president of research and innovation Paul Mascarenas said there are two ways to reduce energy use in vehicles: improving the conversion efficiency of fuels to motion and reducing the amount of work that powertrains need to do.
"Ford is tackling the conversion problem primarily through downsizing engines with EcoBoost and electrification while mass reduction and improved aerodynamics are keys to reducing the workload," Mascarenas said .
To enable automotive structures meet safety and quality standards while reducing weight, the automaker is investigating a range of new materials, new design processes and manufacturing techniques.
Dow Automotive Systems director of research and development Florian Schattenmann said vehicle weight reduction for the company's customers through intelligent design with a materials focus has been a priority for Dow Automotive Systems.
"This partnership with Ford on carbon fiber composites is a logical next step to progress already achieved through the use of lightweight, high-strength polymers and structural bonding technology," Schattenmann said.
Both the companies have signed a joint development agreement that will see researchers from the two companies collaborate on several fronts, while the development teams will focus on establishing an economical source of automotive-grade carbon fiber and develop component manufacturing methods for high-volume automotive applications.
